By Elizabeth Uwandu

Artist, Atiku Jelili, poet Adeola Goloba and four others regained their freedom on Monday 18th July, 2016 as Ejigbo Magistrate Court struck out all criminal charges instituted against them by the Nigerian Police.

Jelili who is the winner of 2015 edition at the Prince Claus Prize for Culture Development, along side five others were arrested early this year , and charged with 4-count criminal charge .

The case which was allegedly rumoured to have been sponsored by the traditional ruler of Ejigbo community, Oba Morufu Adekunle Adisa Ojoola, the Oojon of Ejigbo/Ijan kingdom in Lagos State, came up after Jelili was accused to have constituted public disturbances and inciting the public with his performance of January 14, 2016.

Speaking of the release, Adesola Alamutu, Executive Director, Children and the Environment, CATE, in his Facebook post, dated on the 19th of July stated that” After about 4 hours of deliberations at the court chamber in an attempt to explore peacefulresolution initiated by the court, Magistrate J.O. Adeyemi announcement that the 2 parties had reached an amicable resolution by adopting the African community dispute resolution method, and then made the following pronouncements:

“That the ”Kabiyesi” Oba Morufu Adekunle Ojoola (the traditional ruler of the community and complainant) is the royal father of all indigenes of Ejigbo community; That the defendants (performance artist Jelili Atiku, Adeola Goloba and 5 others) as indigenes of the community are children of His Royal Majesty and should be accorded the dignity and honour they deserve; That pursuant to the above two, all criminal charges against the defendants are hereby struck out and the defendants discharged and acquitted; That the defendants shall work hand in hand with His Royal Majesty to pursue the peace in the community; and That His Royal Majesty Oba Morufu Adekunle Ojoola will promote arts and culture in Ejigbo community