NOBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called for a public enquiry into the circumstances that led to last Saturday’s demolition of structures in an area at the National Theatre complex designated as ‘The Artists’ Village’.

The Artists’ village, which serves as the operational base of the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) in Lagos was demolished by the Kabir Yusuf-led management of the National Theatre ostensibly on the orders of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Soyinka made the call Tuesday at a media conference he convened at the Freedom Park, Broad Street to show his displeasure over the demolition, which claimed several structures that housed instruments and artworks. A sculptor, Smart Ovie was reportedly shot during the exercise.

However, Soyinka, who was miffed that an artiste was reportedly shot in the process of the ‘unwarranted demolition’ of what he described as ‘inevitable structure of society’ and a ‘space of creativity’ said it was necessary to demand an explanation on why the demolition was authorised so as to prevent a reoccurrence.

While condemning the action of the general manager of the National Theatre who led the action, the Noble Laureate advocated compensation for artists who lost valuables during the exercise. He also called on government to convoke a public enquiry to punish the perpetrators.

He also said, “without preempting the position of the minister, another enquiry be made in the open and those who deserved to be punished, be punished and those in whose portfolio compensation lies must ensure that the machinery of compensation be put in place, otherwise you writers, artistes including craft vendors must get together and enforce a protest.”

The representative of the occupants of the village, Aremo Tope Babayemi read the position of the artists on the demolition at the end of the media conference.

He called on the minister to consider relocating the displaced artistes and their works to spaces at the National Theatre complex vacated by some cultural agencies including the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the Centre For Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) pending payment of compensation and rebuilding of the demolished structures.