Artists from all walks of life, penultimate Thursday, converged at the Freedom Park, Lagos in solidarity with Palestinian poet, artist, and curator, Ashraf Fayadh, who has been incarcerated. Dorcas Egede was there
With the recent persecution of artists in Nigeria and across the globe, one cannot but ask this pertinent question, is the art under attack? The last two years have witnessed the persecution and detention of several artists; but the one that has generated world concern and reaction most recently is the arrest, trial and death sentence passed on Palestinian and Sausdi Arabian-born poet, artist and curator, Ashraf Fayadh, 35.
On the 14th of January, members of the literary community, worldwide, in response to a November 2015 appeal published by the Berlin International Literature Festival, gathered together in designated locations for an organised reading in support of the freedom of Ashraf Fayadh. Fayadh who has been active in the Saudi art scene for many years was sentenced to death by Saudi authorities for his 2008 book of poems, Instructions Within. He was accused of “promoting atheism and spreading blasphemous ideas among young people.” The Saudi authorities also accused Fayadh of renouncing his Muslim faith and of photographing women and storing their pictures on his phone, an act considered to be a violation of the country’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law.
The Nigeria reading for the freedom of Fayadh, coordinated by actor and activist, Ropo Ewenla, took place simultaneously at the Freedom Park in Lagos, University of Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University. The reading in Lagos which took place at the Freedom Park located in the central business district was attended by literary Doyen and Nobel Laurette, Wole Soyinka, Director General of the National Troop of Nigeria, Mr Akin Adejumo, Yemi Afolabi, Kunle Ajibade, and a host of writers, poets, movies-makers, theatre artistes, and journalists. Some of the participants, either presented speeches or read their own poems or selected poems from Fayadh’s Instructions Within.
The reading was preceeded by a walk around the central business district, after which participants congregated inside Esther’s Revenge Lounge of the Freedom Park.
In his keynote address during the reading, Soyinka condemned the persecution of anybody because of what they choose to hold as belief. He said, “My religion is humanism; and nobody has the right to infringe on my right to my faith.” He emphasised the need for every society to hold in high regard the sanctity of human life. Alluding to the continuous disregard of human life, evident in nefarous acts and audacious killings by religious fanatics, racists, corrupt politicians and the likes, the world over, Soyinka opined that people must themselves rise and speak against any form of injustice or inhuman treatment meted out to any human being. “We must all resolve to uphold sanctity of human life and dignity of every human being….”
The seasoned writer who has himself suffered many political repression, persecution, inhumane treatment and imprisonment, decried the violation of human rights. He called to the memory of his listeners, the death sentence placed on nine Nigerians (who were accused of blasphemy) by a Sharia court ruling in Notrhern Nigeria (Kano to be precise) and expressed surprise at the reason everyone, including the media, seems to be silent on the matter.
Also at the event was Kunle Ajibade, author of Jailed for Life, memoirs from prison (a narration of the forty-six months he spent in prison) after he was arrested by the military dictator, Sani Abacha, owing to certain articles published in his magazine, The News. He gave a short background to his book from which he later read. He said, “Our offence then was to have published articles that said that the soldiers and some other people tried and condemned to death in the phantom coup that Abacha and his people cooked up did not deserve to die.”
The Director General of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr Akin Adejuwon, also spoke on the need for leaders to respect and protect the fundamental human rights of their citizens, adding that the current federal administration in Nigeria has repeatedly given assurance that it will respect rights of the citizens. Another speaker, erstwhile editor of the Vanguard newspaper and former Ogun state Commissioner of information, Kayode Samuel, opined that sometimes, the citizens of a country are to be blamed for the infringement of their fundamental human rights when he said, “When we do not raise enough questions, when we clap all the time for our oppressors even when they infringe on other people’s rights; when we without question declare political leaders as our messiahs without due interrogation of their actions, we are indirectly approving their consistent abuse of our rights, and disrespect of our human dignity.”
Other speakers were Victor Nwokocha, member of the CORA-Arterial Network Steering Committee, who alluding to Soyinka’s words, “My religion is humanism; and nobody has the right to infringe on my right to my faith,” remarked that no religion has the monopoly of truth, and as such should not be forced down anybody’s throat. People should be allowed to make their own choices as to which religion to belong, be it Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or traditionalism. He also charged his audience made up mostly of artists to always bear in mind that they wield enormous powers occasioned by their works of creativity and they should continue relentlessly in their campaign for the sanctity of life.
Some artists that have
been persecuted in recent years
Atena Farghadani
An Iranian artist, Atena Farghadani, 29, is said to be currently serving a twelve year and nine-month jail term as punishment for criticising a draft law intended to outlaw women’s freedom to use birth control measures, as well as drawing a cartoon that depicted government officials as animals. After series of arrests and releases, Ms Farghadani’s was eventually declared guilty of “spreading propaganda, insulting members of parliament, and insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” by judge Abolghassem Salavati of the Tehran court in June 2015.
Danilo Maldonado
In December 2014, one Cuban artist, graffitist and human rights activist, Danilo Maldonado, was sent to jail without trial for painting the words, ‘Raul’ and ‘Fidel’ on a pair of pigs. He was said to have done that with the intention of releasing the pigs in central Havana, as part of a protest against the Socialist regime of the Castro brothers. But that was never to happen because he was soon arrested and thrown into prison for “disrespecting the leaders of the revolution.”
Maldonado was set free in October of 2015, after serving a 10-month jail term. This freedom however was said to have come following continuous protests by the Cuban and international literary communities, as well as the intervention of United States President, Barack Obama.
Jelili Atiku
On Sunday 17th January, a certain traditional ruler in Ejigbo area of Lagos metropolis was alleged to have ordered the arrest of visual artist, Jelili Atiku. The traditional ruler was said to have been put on edge by the fact that Atiku’s performance (centered around domestic terrorism) in his ‘domain’ on the Thursday before his Sunday arrest was staged without his permission.
Nengi Josef Ilagha
While artists the world over protest the death sentence on Palestinian writer, artist and curator, Ashraf Fayadh, the family of Nigerian award-winning poet, writer, journalist, culture activist and social critic, Nengi Josef Ilagha bemoans the fate of their own, who according to societynowng.com is currently under police custody after a Bayelsa State high court ruling that declared him guilty of contempt of court and libel (against the Amayanabo of Nembe kingdom, king Edmund Daukoru in his book, Epistel to Maduabebe)