Lai Mohammed visits Artist Village to assess damages

The Minister of Information and culture visits the Artists’ Village for the second time after demolition on fact finding mission
Government promises to rebuild the village
Compensation seems to be on the way for the affected artists

 The Minister handing over his personal phone to gunshot victim and Sculptor Smart Ovwie to speak with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police


On Monday, February 1, the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed paid an unscheduled visit to the Artists’ Village at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos for the second time after its demolition.
The minister whose emotions betrayed him promised to compensate artists affected by the demolition exercise at the village after seeing the degree of loss suffered by the artists.

Mohammed went round the village to officially assess the damage done to the works of the artists during the demolition. He also directed the artists to write a report detailing the losses they incurred and pledged to do everything possible to provide an enabling environment for creative production to thrive.
The minister promised that the government would do more to develop and promote the village, which he described as underdeveloped.

Minister with Lari Williams MFR, internationally renowned veteran Actor and CEO Lari Williams Playhouse.

Aremo Tope Babayemi who said the minister promised to rebuild the demolished artists’ village. He said that it will now have standard studios, dance theatres and stands where artists can exhibit and even sell their works. The minister said arts and culture have placed Nigeria on the world map, perhaps second only to sport. Nigeria’s works of arts are being celebrated globally so it is the responsibility of the government to promote them.

Monday, a prolific and hard working Artist with some of his destroyed work

Babayemi said the minister visit is a laudable step in the right direction. He noted that the minister’s surprise visit proved that he is serious about solving the problems facing the artists and the village. The minister also urged the management of the artists’ village to send in the estimate of the artwork destroyed and other things lost in the demolition.

The Minister being shown the destruction of rehearsal studios built by leading Theatre Director, Felix Okolo

During the visit, the minister met with sculptor Smart Ovwie who was shot by the police during the demolition. The minister handed his phone to Ovwie to speak with the Lagos state commissioner of police Fatai Owoseni so that he can provide him with the necessary police report to facilitate his medical treatment.
See more photos below:

The Minister at the NCAC National Gallery to inspect the council’s collection of masterpieces from Dele Jegede Jimoh Braimoh, Bruce Onabrakpeya and others

On Saturday, January 23 under the supervision of the managing director of the National Arts Theatre Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua.  Yar Adua in company of fully armed policemen came to the artists’ village with bulldozers as early as 6 am to demolish workshops and structures that housed veteran actors, painters, sculptors, drums etc without any prior notice of demolition. Hours after the demolition, the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed  visited the scene of demolition.