Those behind Artists’ Village demolition must be punished – Soyinka
By Nurudeen Oyewole, Lagos | Publish Date:
Jan 27 2016 1:40AM | Updated Date: Jan 27 2016 2:16AM
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http://cms.dailytrust.com.ng/cms/gall_content/2016/1/2016_1$largeimg127_Jan_2016_014115900.jpgFrom left: Renowned Poet, Odia Ofeimun; Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; and filmmaker, Mahmud Alli-Balogun, during a press briefing on the demolition of Artists Village, National Theatre, in Lagos yesterday.
Nobel Laureate
Professor Wole Soyinka has called for the punishment of all those who were
responsible for the demolition of a section of the Artists Village in National
Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
At a press conference in Lagos yesterday, Soyinka, alongside former National President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Odia Ofeimum, among other prominent film and creative arts stakeholders, described the demolition of some sections of the Artists’ Village as “travesty of justice.”
At a press conference in Lagos yesterday, Soyinka, alongside former National President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Odia Ofeimum, among other prominent film and creative arts stakeholders, described the demolition of some sections of the Artists’ Village as “travesty of justice.”
It would be recalled that some sections of the Artists Village within the
premises of National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos were demolished on Saturday January
23, 2016, allegedly on the order of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed and Director General of National Arts Theatre, Yusuf Kabiru.
The minister visited the scene of the demolition and refuted the allegation, saying his orders were for the demolition of shanties and illegal structures within the theatre.
But at the briefing in Lagos, the Nobel Laureate said it was ironical that those who should strengthen democracy were the ones who often deployed “military mentality” in handling civil cases.
“To me, democracy means a humane approach to governance. Relate with other people as human beings and not as rodents, that you can do away with. At the moment I am not apportioning blames. I am addressing what happened on Saturday. This I hope will lead to enquiry as to who did what? Who gave the order? Who brought arms? The police, army? Who authorised the police? This time, we don’t want to hear about the usual Oga at the top? We must get down to the nitty, gritty,” Soyinka said.
The minister visited the scene of the demolition and refuted the allegation, saying his orders were for the demolition of shanties and illegal structures within the theatre.
But at the briefing in Lagos, the Nobel Laureate said it was ironical that those who should strengthen democracy were the ones who often deployed “military mentality” in handling civil cases.
“To me, democracy means a humane approach to governance. Relate with other people as human beings and not as rodents, that you can do away with. At the moment I am not apportioning blames. I am addressing what happened on Saturday. This I hope will lead to enquiry as to who did what? Who gave the order? Who brought arms? The police, army? Who authorised the police? This time, we don’t want to hear about the usual Oga at the top? We must get down to the nitty, gritty,” Soyinka said.
Read more at http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/those-behind-artists-village-demolition-must-be-punished--soyinka/130918.html#fzEk3yGRCiUTPKC1.99
On Tue, Jan 26, 2016 at 5:30 PM, Carol Ajie <carolajie@gmail.com> wrote:
Mrs Tinubu blasts President Buhari
http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/
January 26, 2016
It seems things are falling apart so quickly in the house
of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), as the wife of the national
leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Remi Tinubu
has mocked President Muhammadu Buhari’s government during the Senate
plenary today, January 26.
Tinubu’s wife said that the change now experienced by Nigerians is not what was expected.
In her official twitter handle in the Senate, she wrote ” the change that is expected is not the change being experienced
Her husband had also used his newspaper, The Nation to blast President Muhammadu Buhari’s programs, policies and actions.
Shortly after his last media chat, the Nations’ editorial said “the
President is yet to come to terms with the change in his standing. He
is still struggling with realising that he is no longer General
Muhammadu Buhari who could freely express a personal opinion on any
issue. As President, in which capacity he was being interviewed, he was
expected to be more circumspect in considering and volunteering
information. On the arrest, detention, arraignment and trial of Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu for treasonable felony, for example, the President could
hardly contain his annoyance. He referred to the campaigner for
resuscitation of Biafra as “that one you call Kanu”. He did not deny
having a preference for continued detention of the man, despite a bail
order by the court, thus giving the impression that he has no respect
for the judiciary and its decisions.”
Mrs Tinubu also stated that the Buhari’s administration will incur the
wrath of women if something is not done to improve the allocation to the
women’s affair ministry.
Mrs.Tinubu also accused the government of abandoning women in IDPs.
Buhari’s ministerial list of 36 nominees has only six women. Five are from the North and one from the Southwest.
Buhari’s ministerial list of 36 nominees has only six women. Five are from the North and one from the Southwest.
According to the Nation ” President Buhari should note that no arm
of government is necessarily superior to the other. Under the Rule of
Law that should prevail in a democracy, supremacy of the executive is a
strange doctrine. No man or institution of state has the right to be
complainant and judge in its own case.”
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