THE speaker of the state assembly in Kano, northern Nigeria, ousted by lawmakers this week because he lightens his skin, insisted on Saturday on his “right to bleach”. Ibrahim Abdullahi Gwarmani told a daily newspaper: “I know the Koran very well and my bleaching should be viewed as my personal liberty. It does not violate our constitution,” he told the state-run newspaper Daily Times. Lawmakers in Kano voted on Wednesday to impeach Gwarmani for an alleged “dictatorial” manner, poor time-keeping, and lightening his skin. Gwarmani told the Daily Times he would seek his old job back and dismissed the complaints against him as “flimsy”. Personal politics was at play, he said. Skin lightening “should not matter.” – AFP
Sunday June 24, 2001