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, symbolising 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 prioritises 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 memorisation 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 youth’s including Solomon Akanbi. This play marked the activation of the ARTvocacy movement in Benin City, Edo State, the seventh 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 organisations, 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.
Ezenwa-Okoro is an author and international arts leader. Founder of Street Project Foundation, and Co-convener of the ARTvocacy Movement.
