AMA is sad to announce that Lagos-based grantee Jelili Atiku has had to cancel his participation in this month’s Protest Arts Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe and in the “Our Bodies Do” workshop in Bulawayo, due to regrettable and unforeseen circumstances.
First refused the right to board a Johannesburg-bound flight on the grounds that he did not have a South African transit visa, Jelili had no choice but to remain in Lagos while other travel solutions were sought. AMA was able to re-route his itinerary via Dubai instead of Johannesburg. However, before being able to board this alternative flight, Jelili was mugged and assaulted, and was forced to spend the night in the hospital rather than on the plane.
Jelili is now recovering from the incident at his home in Lagos. As we share in his disappointment for this deplorable series of events, we wish him a safe and speedy recovery so that he may continue working on his artistic projects and prepare for next year’s edition of the Protest Arts Festival.