 Published
January 26th, 2011
I am forced to write this
piece because my life has been in danger since I sent a
press statement asking the Lagos State Government for the
balance of the money they owe me. Is there anything criminal
in asking for the money people owe you? I know you have the
right to seek the opinion of the other person but shouldn’t
both views be published? For goodness sake, If I was in
America or Britain I would not beg to produce a play to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence.
You will be surprised that people have been calling me to
tell me Lagos State did me a favor. How funny?
I have not made any wild claim to discredit anybody. I have
not attacked Lagos State. I had to make a statement because
of the security threats based on some statements said to be
emanating from some people in Alausa. In these days where
people murder and kill for as little as five hundred naira,
I will be foolish not to make it known that I have not been
paid. It is on record that an artist came threating to fight
me for his balance in December last year and my son had to
pacify him by giving him his personal cheque for fifteen
thousand naira. One of the artists threatened to come to
Lagos from Ibadan to collect his money because he claimed he
was told I had been paid. I had to send him a text message I
sent to His Excellence in December on the subject after he
had called me all sorts of name. You can call Mr. Lekan
Ajayi on 07060579411 to confirm. I even asked him to get his
fellow artists to complain to the press that I had not paid
them; but he said his lawyer advised him against it. Only
this Friday one of the artists stumbled into my sitting room
telling me he has been reliably informed that I have just
been paid. I had to ask him to get out of my sight. If he
had been armed he could have shot me the way I annoyingly
asked him out. I was only able to persuade him to go when I
told him about the letter of protest.
I live in a semi rural community where stories fly. All
around my community people are carrying rumor that Baba is
fond of owing artists. Must I continue to keep the truth
from them? Since I lodged the complain I have had people
calling me on phone blaming me for going to the press. Very
few try to reason with me. They claim I will be black mailed
forever. No one lives forever and besides how did they know
since I am yet to see my protest on the pages of any news
paper?
I am with this write up begging you to tell both sides of
the stories. I will be willing to publicly pay the artist
their cheques in the presence of Lagos State officials the
day I receive my cheque from government. All I want is to
protect my integrity and the integrity of the Lagos State
Government. This is not the first time hoodlums have
tried to kill me because they believed I had some money.
I do not want a repeat attack because of careless talk by
some faceless people.
Chief Femi Robinson
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