- Nigeria bans "money rituals" in films.
- NFVCB sanitizes film industry.
- New regulation promotes smoke-free films.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a significant step towards sanitizing the Nigerian film industry by approving the prohibition of money rituals and the glamourization of vices in Nigerian films. This development was announced by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu State on May 22.
The event brought together movie producers, directors, and actors from across the country, as well as leaders of various guilds and associations in the Nigerian film industry. Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO of NFVCB, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the industry is facing an emergency that requires bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians, and stakeholders.
According to Dr. Husseini, the NFVCB’s predecessor had approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies. The Minister saw the need to include money rituals, ritual killings, and the glamourization of other crimes in the regulation to further sanitize the film industry.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has approved the regulation pursuant to section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004. The approved regulation prohibits the promotion of money rituals, ritual killings, tobacco, tobacco products, nicotine products, and the glamourization of crimes in movies, musical videos, and skits.
The NFVCB has forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for gazetting. Dr. Husseini emphasized that besides the health implications, glamourizing smoking in films poses a negative influence on teens and young adults who constitute the largest segment of Nigeria movie viewers.
To address this, the board is set to undertake detailed enlightenment programs in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups, and other institutions. The NFVCB is committed to supporting smoke-free movies and promoting positive health messages.
The NFVCB, in collaboration with the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), decided to create subsidiary regulations to cater to smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelled out in the extant law. The NFVCB is well-prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and begun implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate.
The NFVCB is responsible for registering all films and video outlets across the country and keeping a register of such registered outlets, among other functions. This move by the Federal Government is a significant step towards promoting a positive and healthy image in the Nigerian film industry.
The stakeholders’ engagement was a crucial step in sensitizing industry players about the new regulation and seeking their collaboration in developing creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages.
This development marks a significant milestone in the efforts to sanitize the Nigerian film industry and promote a positive and healthy image for the country’s entertainment and creative sector.
