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Amassoma: The police ban on musicians

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EVERY Nigerian who cares deeply about freedom of expression as enshrined in the country’s constitution should be appalled by last week’s threat to musicians and kindred creative artistes in Bayelsa State by the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Police Command, Donald Awunah. In a statement signed by the state’s Force Public Relations Office, DSP Asinim Butswat, the police commissioner expressly warned members of the creative industry from releasing any production likely to promote violence and insecurity in the state.

Warned the Commissioner: “The music, film industry and the art generally (sic) must not be used to promote violence and foist social tension (sic) in whatever form or manner. The creative industry is expected to add value to development, growth and insecurity of the community rather than elevating divisive tendencies and use of music to spread falsehoods.” And just in case any artiste in the state had any doubts about the consequences of disregarding its warning, the commissioner was quick to add that “The Bayelsa State Police Command will not fold its hands and allow any person or group of persons disrupts (sic) the peace and security currently being enjoyed in the state. All police formations, united and tactical teams have been activated to deal decisively with mischief makers throughout the state within the framework of the law.”

Mr. Awunah’s statement was released against the backdrop of the events of May 22 when students’ protest over the alleged hike in fees at Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, quickly degenerated into full-blown violence and loss of lives. While the Raphael Biweribo-led Students Union contends that the loss of lives could have been averted if a detachment of policemen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had not fired indiscriminately  at defenceless students, the state police command is blaming the mayhem on professional hell raisers who, according to the command, had infiltrated the ranks of the protesting students.

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It would seem from the foregoing that Police Commissioner Awunah’s motive in issuing the above statement was to ensure the restoration of law and order to the grieving community. To the extent that such is the case, he has our full support. Nevertheless, while it is one thing to uphold the rule of law, it is another thing entirely to abjure the constitutionally-guranteed right of people to peacefully express themselves, and we are persuaded that this is what the commissioner’s statement regarding the prospect of artistic memorialisation of the incident effectively amounts to.

From all accounts, Mr. Awunah appears to have taken a cue from the warning issued by the traditional ruler of Amassoma, His Royal Highness, Major Graham Naingba (retd.), to popular Ijaw musician, the self-styled Mr. S. Smooth (aka Paddle of Niger Delta), who seems poised to release a song critical of police involvement in the unrest. Both the traditional ruler and Mr. Awunah are right to be anxious about the precarious security situation in Amassoma. Yet, their anxiety notwithstanding, they have no legal warrant to prevent a musician or any artiste for that matter from producing a song or commenting freely on the events of May 22. Quite simply, the law does not allow either the traditional ruler or the police chief to repress or outlaw speech or performance just because they are fearful of how people might react to it.

The bogey of violence has always been invoked by people in authority to subdue speech or performance that is not to their liking. This seems to us like one of those instances.

 

The post Amassoma: The police ban on musicians appeared first on Tribune.

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