Reactions to the Federal Government’s proposal to outlaw smoking, money rituals, ritual killings, and the glamourization of these vices in Nigerian cinema are conflicting.
Recall that during a recent national stakeholders’ engagement on smoke-free Nollywood in Enugu, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, revealed the government’s position.
The NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, or CAPPA, organized the event, which brought together actors, directors, and producers of motion pictures from all over the nation in one location.
Attendees included representatives from a range of guilds and associations within the Nigerian film industry.
Husseini called the Nigerian film industry’s glamorization of smoking, ritualistic behavior, and death an industry emergency that called for audacious and ambitious action from all parents, guardians, and stakeholders.
He said: “When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, on the need to make 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 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 products promotion, and glamorisation display of crimes in movies, musical videos and skits regulations 2024. We have also forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for official gazette.”
He announced that the board planned to implement comprehensive education initiatives in secondary schools, universities, local communities, faith-based organizations, and other establishments.
“As you are all aware, the film business plays a pivotal role in the creative and entertainment sectors, and it is essential that we maintain our top priority for the industry’s advancement.
The speaker said, “The NFVCB supports smoke-free movies and smoke-free Nollywood, so we seek your collaboration to develop creative content that promotes positive health messages and discourages smoking.”
There is currently disagreement among industry stakeholders on the policy.
Actors and actresses, among other industry professionals, had differing perspectives on the development in interviews with DAILY POST.
Veteran Nollywood actor Bob Manuel Udokwu added to the conversation by stating that most Nigerians were misinterpreting the government’s action.
“I think the media misreports the limitations on smoking and certain other activities, such as ritual scenes in Nollywood movies, as a prohibition.
“Those behaviors are not expressly prohibited in our films; however, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) of the Federal Government ensures that filmmakers do not unintentionally encourage smoking and ritual actions in their works.
When using them to convey stories, such as in documentaries and true life stories, becomes interesting, they might be used.
