Yetunde Obuya is an Atlanta-based songstress, known as The Nigerian Beauty. She has been arrested on charges that were dismissed due to the arrest being illegal. However, because she is not an American citizen she is being held under I.C.E. laws. This means that she will eventually have to go to court to determine whether or not she will be deported.

In the state of Georgia it is illegal for police to inquire about immigration status when questioning suspects in certain criminal investigations. This would include routine traffic stops, which is the circumstance of this case. None of the officers involved in this "routine traffic stop", with the exception of one, were wearing name badges. The traffic stop began with the initial officer approaching the vehicle in a hostile manner, interrogating both passengers, including Yetunde. Legally, an officer can only request the license and registration of the driver, and if necessary, the names of the passengers. But they proceeded to question Yetunde about her immigration status, and subsequently arrested her.

Prior to her court date, there will have to be a bond hearing. The good news is that when bond is set there will be an opportunity to bond Yetunde out so that she and her husband can complete the paperwork necessary to make sure she is not deported. She has lived in the U.S. since 1998 and is very much a part of her community. Deporting her at this point, would be uprooting her from her friends and family.

Yetunde and her husband do not currently know how much the bond will be, but have been informed by an immigration officer that bonds typically range between $5,000 and $10,000. The additional fees necessary for processing can be hundreds more. This is a young couple that have dedicated their lives to music and to the fight for freedom and justice in America and 5000 to 10,000 dollars is not easy to come by. This is where YOU come in....

You can help by joining the facebook page that has been set up by her husband, to learn more about Yetunde's situation and connect with others that are doing the same. You can donate any amount of money to help with the bond and other legal fees here, on a secure site or through PayPal. You can connect with her husband, Thairu Obuya Kmt and find out how you can write Yetunde. When locked behind those bars, many prisoners have stated that it was the letters from the outside that kept them strong. Lastly, you can check out The Nigerian Beauty's music on her reverbnation, to see that she is a beautiful vocalist who is actively contributing to her community and uplifting her people. 

Having just returned from Atlanta where I met Thairu, I learned that prison is an unfortunate, everyday reality in the lives of the people. It is to a degree that we simply cannot relate to, here in Canada. Even New York City, where I saw many young men be stopped and questioned for no reason at all, and then taken downtown because they weren't carrying their i.d, is pale in comparison to what goes on in the south. On their album, Return From Mecca, the X-Clan puts it explicitly, "the thirteenth amendment to the U.S. constitution abolished slavery, except in prisons." Read this for more info.

FREE THE PEOPLE! FREE THE LAND! AND FREE YETUNDE.