Page 46 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 31
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Art & Culture
of Jefferson Davis. In another case, an angry in the DR Congo. However, historians and
group of protesters were filmed uprooting art scholars have acknowledged the public
and throwing a statue of Christopher anger toward controversial statues as genuine
Columbus into a lake. It was documented agitations. They have further called for
that some protesters were seriously injured, safeguarding the historic statues as reservoirs
rushed to the hospitals, and some died on the of knowledge. The UNESCO treaties,
spot. Alabama’s 2017 law, the African Union
Constitutive Act, and Kenya’s Constitution
The demonstrators along the street of 2010 prohibit the removal and jail term for
Antwerp burned and defaced the statue of any interference with public statutes. During
Belgian colonial leader King Leopold II. the Black Lives Matter movement, President
They accused King Leopold II of exploiting Trump jailed and pleaded with agitators to
Congolese resources, killing many AbaCongo refrain from removing or interfering with any
families, and enslaving Congolese. In Ghana, historic sculpture in the streets of the United
the statue of President Kwame Nkrumah was States. An attempt to enter Jomo Kenyatta’s
amputated following a military coup d’état. mausoleum in the Parliament Building
The torso and head of Nkrumah’s statue were during the “Occupy Parliament protest” was
hacked into pieces outside the Parliament. repulsed by the police.
In Nigeria, angry protestors burned the
statue of President Nnamdi Azikiwe. They Mr. Gerald Motondi is among Kenyans
accused him of supporting the Biafran human honored with a presidential medal for
atrocities. The monument of Libya’s Colonel installing historic sculptures in local and
Muammar Gadhafi was bombed upon his international arenas. He has sculpted and
ouster by Libyan Rebel Forces. The statue installed over 25 sculptures in Turkey,
carries the dictatorial memory of the Gadhafi Russia, Canada, the United States, India,
regime, abuses of human rights, and national and South Korea. He is famously recognized
conflict. for carving Mashujaa such as Dedan
Kimathi and Mekatilili wa Menza from
Constant destruction of monuments is pink granite at Uhuru Gardens Museum.
eliciting debates on the historical sculptures Uhuru Gardens is a historic site in Kenya,
that symbolize power, authority, and religion. where the national flag was first raised to
Religious fanatics are accusing public signify “Jamhuri,”, Kenya’s independence.
art of symbolizing idolatry and satanic At one event, President Uhuru Kenyatta
spiritualism. Political activists argue that applauded Motondi for the remarkable statue
historic sculptures neither foster inspirational he unveiled at the English Point Marina in
leadership nor symbolize good governance. Mombasa. In his speech, President Uhuru
For instance, the monument of King Leopold mentioned Motondi as a “Shujaa,” who
II of Belgium served as a reminder of represented Kenyans at the Beijing Olympics
historical injustices, cruelty, and exploitation Fine Art Exhibition and won the Olympic
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