…..You ‘re joking, Kanayo .O. Kanayo, Mike Okri slam FG
The Executive Director/CEO of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, says the Federal Government has approved the prohibition of money rituals and glamourizing of vices in Nigerian films.
Husseini disclosed this while speaking at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday, May 22. The NFVCB boss said
today, we are facing an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians and stakeholders.
“When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed on the need to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he saw the need to include money rituals. Others included in the regulation are ritual killings and glamourising other crimes in order to further sanitise the film industry.
Today, I am delighted to announce to you that the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, pursuant to section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004 has approved the regulation.
The minister has approved the Prohibition of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Nicotine Product Promotion and Glamorisation display in Movies, Musical Videos and Skits” Regulations 2024.
We have also forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for Gazette” he said
According to Husseini, besides the health implications, glamourising smoking in films poses a negative influence on teens and young adults who constitute the largest segment of Nigeria movie viewers. He said that the board was set to undertake detailed enlightenment programmes in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups and other institutions.
“As you all know, the film industry occupies a central position in the entertainment and creative sector, and it is imperative that we continue to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry. The NFVCB supports smoke-free movies and supports smoke-free Nollywood, and we therefore seek your collaboration to develop creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages.
After series of engagements, the NFVCB in collaboration with the CAPPA decided to do a ‘subsidiary regulations’ to cater for smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelt out in the extant Law.
The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and began implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate,” he said.
You ‘re joking, Kanayo .O. Kanayo, Mike Okri slam FG over ban on money rituals, smoking in movies
Veteran actor Kanayo .O. Kanayo alongside music icon Mike Okri has frowned at the Federal Government’s recent approval of the prohibition of smoking and glamorizing of money rituals and killings in Nigerian films, skits and music videos, describing such development as ‘a joke.’
Veteran musician, Mike Okri described the action of the federal government as a joke, adding “it’s a way to silence the movie industry.”
“Whoever is behind this from the FG is joking. It’s a way to silence the movie industry. They should focus on the real challenges facing the country,” Okri snapped.
Also, reacting, popular actor Kanay .O. Kanayo described the move, as ‘a sensible nonsense/. He said that the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa has no job for approving a move to gag the film makers. .
Husseini stated that the censors board has continued to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry by ensuring that films/video works, musical videos and skits are free of depiction and glamorization of harmful substances like smoking of tobacco, violence, criminal acts, immoral acts, ritual killing and money ritual.
According to the NFVCB boss, “Today, we are facing an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all of us as parents, guardians and stakeholders.”
He said after a series of engagements, the NFVCB in collaboration with the CAPPA decided to do a Subsidiary Regulations to cater for smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelt out in the extant Law.
