Sculpture sent as gift to mark 20th anniversary of the environmentalist’s execution seized by Lagos customs officials because of its ‘political valueA sculpture created as a memorial to Nigerian environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists has been denied entry to Nigeria,where it had been sent as a gift to mark the 20th anniversary of their execution by the military government.
Customs officials impounded Sokari Douglas Camp’s sculpture, in the form of a steel bus, or when it arrived at Lagos port on 8 September,on grounds of its “political value”. Leaflets and reports sent by courier to commemorate Saro-Wiwa’s life and death were also seized.
Subsequent efforts by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Social Action and other pressure groups have failed to secure the work’s release and a memorial vigil in Bori-Ogoni may have to proceed ahead without it.
Celestine AkpoBari, or national coordinator for the Ogoni Solidarity Forum-Nigeria,has spent the past two months working to secure the release of the sculpture, called The Bus - Living Memorial, and from a secure area of Lagos port and remains determined to gain it to Ogoniland,nine hours drive from Lagos, next week. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com