Money for Justice: How Censorship Undermines Democracy.

My recent trip to Benin City, Edo State has been very revealing. I got to learn about my grandfather’s fame in Esan land even more. Interestingly, he was known more by his chieftaincy title – Otemuata, meaning the one who speaks the truth than his own name Omovbude. We live in very precarious times and virtues like that of my Grandfather are needed more than ever before. 

In the heart of the University of Benin Ekehuan Campus, a statue made of bicycle and motor bike chains including metal sheet and flat bars, just like Otemuata, dared to speak the truth on a matter that many would rather silence. 

Akanbi Solomon’s Money for Justice sculpture, depicting a wide-eyed woman clutching a bag of money up in the air, with the scales of justice lowered in her other hand, was more than just art—it was a mirror reflecting society’s unsettling realities. But instead of engaging with its message, University authorities removed the statue. This confirms a deeper crisis – the fear of confronting uncomfortable truths within the very spaces meant to nurture them. The University of Benin being a Federal Government owned institution unfortunately played to the gallery to save their pay masters “embarrassment” but this also reveals an even deeper truth of the sad reality of our institutions.

This statue was a recreation of lady justice expressing our current realities in the justice system. Traditionally, Lady Justice wears a blindfold, symbolizing impartiality. Solomon’s rendition strips away that blindfold, forcing us to face an inconvenient reality—justice is not always blind, and financial influence often tips the scales. The university’s reaction wasn’t just an act of censorship; it was a symptom of an educational culture resistant to disruption, one that prioritizes conformity over critical thinking.

Academic institutions should be sanctuaries of free expression, where art and ideas challenge the status quo and inspire intellectual growth. Yet, the removal of Money for Justice reveals a troubling contradiction: while we claim to value education, we often suppress the very provocations that make learning transformative.

Solomon’s work underscores that art’s purpose extends beyond aesthetics. Art is protest. It’s advocacy. It’s a reflection of societal contradictions. Money for Justice wasn’t merely an installation; it was a demand for introspection on the commodification of justice and the erosion of fairness within systems swayed by wealth.

This isn’t just about one piece of art. It’s about how our educational institutions respond to disruptive ideas. When we silence bold expressions, we cultivate mediocrity instead of critical thinkers. Our schools risk becoming echo chambers of outdated paradigms rather than incubators of creativity and change.

What happened to Solomon is more than an infringement on his right to free expression—it’s a stark indictment of an education system stuck in archaic models. Our institutions must evolve. They must become spaces where curiosity is celebrated, creativity is nurtured, and young minds are encouraged to question, explore, and imagine.

Nigeria has the potential to lead in redefining education—not through rote memorization and rigid conformity, but by embracing creativity, play, social-emotional learning, and fearless expression. The University of Benin missed an opportunity to foster intellectual courage. However, the ARTvocacy movement of Street Project Foundation did not let this moment pass unnoticed. Solomon’s message, though physically removed and destroyed, resonates louder than ever. His story inspired the total theatre production titled Mother of Justice, performed by thirty-seven youths including Solomon Akanbi. This play marked the activation of the ARTvocacy movement in Benin City, Edo State, the 7th city in an ongoing roll out across Nigeria by Street Project Foundation. 

Solomon Akanbi stated in his social media post “You can silence an artist’s work but you cannot silence the art in the artist.” My take on this is that an environment where freedom of creative expression is suppressed is not an environment where democracy can truly thrive. I call on civil society organizations, the media, public spirited patriots and well meaning citizens to rise up and join us in solidarity with Solomon Akanbi. It is in times like this that I desire to summon all the Otemuatas (Truth tellers) like my grandfather across the nation to speak up and not shut up about social injustice. 

It’s time to transform our institutions from spaces of oppression to arenas where young people can exercise their imagination. Let’s create environments where people young or old can explore their creativity, dialogue, and express their truths freely. Because when we fear art, we fear growth. And when we fear growth, we fail our future.

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Rita Ezenwa-Okoro is an Author and international arts leader. Founder of Street Project Foundation, and co-convener of the ARTvocacy Movement, She is the Executive Director of the Global Play Brigade and a recipient of multiple local and global awards, fellow of the International Society of the Performing Arts (ISPA), and first Nigerian serving on the board of ISPA.

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“Here’s Why We’re Investing In Building Nigeria’s Future Olympians” – MTN

MTN Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing Nigeria’s future Olympians through the MTN Champs athletics competition, which kicked off its third season today in Benin City, Edo State. The telecommunications giant aims to revolutionise grassroots sports development in the country, providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their talents and potentially represent Nigeria on the global stage.

Osaze Ebueku, Senior Manager, Go-to-Market at MTN Nigeria, emphasised the company’s long-term vision for the initiative. “Our message from day one has been clear. We’re building future Olympians for Nigeria,” Ebueku stated. He highlighted that MTN Champs is not just about competition, but about changing lives and providing opportunities that many young athletes wouldn’t have had otherwise.

The impact of the program is already evident, with five standout athletes from MTN Champs representing Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This achievement, coming just two years after the program’s inception in 2023, demonstrates the initiative’s effectiveness in fast-tracking talent from grassroots to global competitions.

Season 3 of MTN Champs has attracted 2,056 registered athletes to participate in Benin City alone, according to Bambo Akani, founder and CEO of Making of Champions, MTN’s partner in executing the championship. The competition will span three cities – Benin (March 13-15), Lagos (April 9-12), and Uyo for the Grand Final (April 30-May 3) – with a total of 7,000 athletes expected to participate across all locations.

Osaze Ebueku, Senior Manager, Go To Market at MTN, likened their approach to spotting “rough diamonds” and refining them into world champions. “We are on this journey for the long haul, working with our partners to elevate the standard of athletics in the country,” Ebueku explained.

The initiative has garnered support from state governments, with Edo State Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo approving the use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and providing logistical support for the event. This collaboration underscores the growing recognition of MTN Champs’ potential to transform Nigeria’s athletic landscape.

As the competition unfolds, all eyes will be on the tracks of Benin, Lagos, and Uyo to witness the emergence of Nigeria’s next generation of athletic stars. MTN Champs continues to provide not just a competition, but a comprehensive platform for talent discovery, development, and the realisation of Olympic dreams for young Nigerian athletes.

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CGC Adeniyi Receives Sun Newspaper Public Service Award.

.. Announces Community Development Initiatives

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has been honoured with the Sun Newspaper Public Service Award, recognising his leadership and contributions to national development.

The event, which was held in Lagos on Saturday, 1 March 2025, , was attended by dignitaries such as Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Management, Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Former Governor of Kano State and National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, captains of industries, Royal Fathers, Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’, ACG Charles Orbih, Area Controllers in zone A, amongst others.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) described the recognition as a motivation to further enhance service delivery in key areas such as trade facilitation, revenue generation, and national security. 

His words, “This kind of recognition is very encouraging and inspiring. Through our core mandates, we contribute our own quota to development, revenue generation, trade facilitation, and security. This is a call for better service delivery, a call for us to do more than we are doing, and we are ready for that in 2025.” 

The Customs Boss also announced plans to roll out a series of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the coming weeks to impact communities where customs officers serve. 

“By the grace of God, we will be doing more that will impact our communities through Corporate Social Responsibility programmes that we are going to be launching in about two weeks. This is going to be community-focused, and we are going to be anchoring it on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the eight priority areas of President Bola Tinubu,” he revealed.

According to him, the initiatives will focus on critical areas such as education, healthcare, and clean water supply, ensuring that communities where Customs officers serve benefit directly from the service’s outreach efforts. 

CGC Adeniyi dedicated the award to all officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, acknowledging their hard work and commitment to making a positive impact in the country.

Dignitaries at the event congratulated recipients of the awards, highlighting the importance of leadership and commitment in nation-building.

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