Spee Arts Gallery: Artists seek compensation from Bamenda city council after partial demolition of centre

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By Martial Gnoukapasir

Trimmed Spee arts gallery & cultural centre

Spee Arts Gallery and Cultural Centre, located directly opposite the Baptist church and school in Nkwen Bamenda, is one of those structures recently trimmed by the city council following an ongoing road stretching project being sponsored by the world bank.

In a meeting to discuss the future of the centre, a good number of artists who converged at the partly trimmed structure Wednesday June 30th resolved that, it's either the council relocate the centre to a new site or compensate financially like it's done with others whose properties have also been destroyed in the road construction process, so they can give the centre a new facelift.

Spee Arts gallery and cultural centre was founded by Nzante Spee of blessed memory, around 1985.

Atists protest the partial demolition of the centre without compensation

His son Nzante Tracey is an artist. Talking to Mnews237 he said the city council didn't and has still not said anything regarding compensation, reason why artists like others and him who make use of the centre on daily basis decided to meet and chat a way forward on how they can best preserve "Our cultural heritage", and concluded on the two options.

partial view of the gallery

"This centre was put in place by my father when he came back from France after winning an award. It has since then continue to serve as residence for many artists, who come here daily to paint, compose, exhibit and expose their work of arts, beef their talents and connect with the many tourists who visits always. We are not against the construction of the roads or development, but we think and believe it's the responsibility of the council to protect the cultural heritage of this city.

Nothing concrete has been said about compensation, yet the centre has been trimmed. I'm even sure that if not of the graves in front they would've brought down the entire structure. All we want is for the city council to either relocate the centre or compensate so we can do so ourselves" he said.

artists brainstorming on the way forward of the centre

The artists have also expressed fears that with the city council planning on extending the width of the roads away from the world bank stipulations of 16 to 30 metres,the whole structure may be brought down.

" I feel like it's the graves holding them back" Tracey adds.


Nzante Tracey

The below paintings exhibited at the centre are just two of the original masterpiece paintings of Nzante Spee, founder of the Spee Arts Gallery & Cultural Centre .


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