• As Artwatch Africa presents ‘Right to Life’ in Lagos
Members of the ‘Artwatch Africa Ambassadors for Creative Expressions’ have condemned the attack on Studio Abazon of Burkinabe top rapper and revolutionary artiste, Serges Martin Bambara, a.k.a. Smokey.
The attack occurred on Thursday, September 17, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, just a day before the presentation of the ‘Right to Life’ musical video in Lagos.
The video, audio-recorded in the bombed studio and mastered by Smokey, was formally presented in Nigeria on Friday, September 18, during the monthly Afropolitan Vibes concert. The Senegalese, Didier Awadi, featured in the concert and joined Ade Bantu in presenting the video clip.
The two ambassadors, Ade Bantu and Didier Awadi, who spoke against the bombing of Studio Abazon, said it reaffirms that the life of artistes is not secure in many parts of the continent.
They urged the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to make necessary efforts to ensure that the attackers of Smokey’s studio are brought to justice.
The attack was reportedly carried out by members of the RSP, otherwise known as the ‘Presidential Guard,’ led by General Gilbert Diendere, the leader of the military junta that seized power in the country earlier that day.
Smokey is the leader of a popular socio-political movement called “Balai Citoyen” (The Citizens’ Broom), which led the revolt against the dictatorial actions of former president Blaise Compraore. The popular revolt forced Compraore to resign and flee the country on October 31, 2014. General Diendere was number two man to Compraore, and his leadership of the RSP had targeted Smokey and members of ‘The Citizens’ Broom’, whom they perceived as enemies of the ousted Compraore.
Earlier in March, Smokey had played host to 11 other top musicians from eight African countries, who are known as the Ambassadors for Creative Expressions under Artwatch Africa, a project promoted by the pan-African body of artistes and culture workers, Arterial Network.
The 11 musicians had recorded ‘Right to Life’ in the studio, which incidentally was campaigning for the freedom of artistic expressions.
