Tobias Sylvester
The Federal Government has said it will make a scapegoat out of Afro-pop star, Augustine Kelechi popularly known as Tekno, for promoting nudity in public space.
KanyiDaily had published a video where Tekno was seen dancing with the semi-clad women on Lagos traffic and spraying them with money, hitting them in the buttocks, an act which many Nigerians described as obscene.
Tekno was subsequently arrested based on contravention of Section 136 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 which provides that any person who commits any act of gross indecency with another person in public commits an offence and liable to a conviction to three years imprisonment.
However, the singer was granted administrative bail by the police based on health grounds.
The government expressed disappointment that despite ongoing investigations into the anomaly, Tekno went ahead to release the offensive video, which is the official visual for his new single titled “Agege”.
A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, 11th August 2019, by the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, said Tekno would be used as a scapegoat “to teach others a serious lesson”. He said,
“We commend the police for arresting Tekno for the shameful misconduct.
“The same person who was granted bail on health ground went ahead to release the controversial video.
“We are now warning him to desist from this shameful conduct which is not part of our culture.
“No single person is bigger than Nigeria; whether he likes it or not, we are going to use him as scapegoat to send a strong signal that this government does not tolerate nonsense and immorality.”
The Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency has since suspended the advertising agency whose display truck was used in shooting the video.
