Otunba Olusegun Runsewe
By Timothy Elerewe
The reasons behind the present travails of the Director General of the National Council For Art and Culture(NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe have come to the fore in Abuja
Otunba, in a crowded press conference Friday, said his present ordeal was as a result of his resolve to reclaim government landed property owned by his agency from some powerful Nigerians who had forcefully acquired the land.
He explained that his press briefing had nothing to do with Thursday court pronouncements which he however said he had instructed his lawyers to appeal against
The DG further revealed that the land in question, Art and Craft village, opposite Abuja Sheraton hotels valued at 9.8billion Naira was the reason behind why some people wanted him jailed and removed from office because he had refused to be compromised.
According to him, the land “was turned into a drug haven, a hold bay and rented house for hooligans and criminals, a depot for illegal arms and sundry criminal activities which turned the place to security threat, not only to Abuja residents but to foreigners who engage in early hours exercises through the street in the morning and were molested by criminals from this location”
Explaining further, Otunba Runsewe wondered why some people “are bent on converting government property to a haven of inappropriate engagement” the reason why the police had to close down the place for months. The DG estimated that the government could generate more than 300,000 jobs when the land was fully developed.
He regretted that the whole land was rented out for paltry sum of 40,000 Naira per annum. “The Art and Craft village belong to the Federal Republic Of Nigeria”, he said, adding that it does not belong anybody else except the Nigerian people. Therefore, he maintained that he would be failing in his duties as a public officer and appointee of government if he cannot protect government property to which he was mandated to oversee.
The DG said it was therefore necessary to clear the air on this issue in order to help stem the negative reactions and reassure Nigerians that all hands must be on deck to protect the interest of any property that belongs to Nigeria and ensure that they are not misapplied or abused.
