Christchurch: New Zealand city part ways wit their official wizard
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Christchurch city for New Zealand don comot dia official wizard from di payroll afta 23 years of service.
Di city dey pay 88-year old Ian Brackenbury Channell, NZ$16,000 (£8,200; $11,280) per year to provide "acts of wizardry" and to promote di city.
However di city don end im contract now wit explanation say dem dey go in a more modern and diverse direction.
Christchurch na di only city wey don get official Wizard since 1982, di city council website tok.
Oga Channell tell local media say im no fit "di vibes" again because im be provocateur.
"Dem be bunch of bureaucrats wey no get imagination,'' e tell New Zealand news website, Stuff.
Since e start di work of official wizard more than two decades ago, oga Channell don dey paid some $368,000 under one unique tax-free status.
According to im website, e get New Zealand driving licence under di name The Wizard.
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
Dem see am as tourist attraction for Christchurch.
E don perform rain-dances for New Zealand and Australia during droughts and e dey di Queen Birthday Honours list for 2009.
Im dey popular during protests against di demolition of heritage buildings afta di 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.
New Zealand Art Gallery Directors Association for 1982 even declare oga Channel as living work of art.
But pipo don also condemn am on how e take dey tok about women. Among other comments, e say "never beat a woman because dem dey bruise too easily" on top one comedy current affairs show for April, according to The Guardian.
Ian Brackenbury Channell Profile
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Dem born oga Channell for London. E study sociology and psychology for Leeds University before e move go Australia where e teach sociology for di University of New South Wales.
E move go Christchurch for di early 1970s and become regular face for di city square, where e go dey tok as e stand on one high ladder, e go wear im long cloak and pointed hat.
Di police bin try to arrest him but dis make di public para, dem later turn di square into designated public speaking area.
For 1990, di prime minister that time, Mike Moore, say make dem "urgently consider" am to become New Zealand's official Wizard.
"No doubt implications go dey for di area of spells, blessings, curses, and other supernatural matters wey dey beyond di power of ordinary Prime Ministers," Oga Moore write for inside letter.
Oga Channell tell Stuff say im go continue to appear for di city and follow pipo tok as im don always do.
"I go still dey comot. Dem go kill me to stop me," e tok.
