Entertainment
FG Bans Money Ritual, Other Scenes In Nollywood Films
The ban on money rituals and the glorification of vices in Nigerian films has been officially sanctioned by the Federal Government.
Shaibu Husseini, the Executive Director and CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board, made this announcement during a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood in Enugu.
The NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa jointly organized the event on Wednesday.
Various movie producers, directors, actors, as well as leaders of different guilds and associations within the Nigerian film industry, were in attendance.
Husseini emphasized the urgent need for decisive and proactive measures from all parents, guardians, and stakeholders in response to the current crisis facing the industry.
“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 glamorising other crimes 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.
Husseini stressed the importance of the sensitization program aimed at educating stakeholders about the risks associated with the portrayal of smoking in Nigerian films.
He highlighted that, in addition to the health hazards, depicting smoking in movies can have a detrimental impact on teenagers and young adults, who make up a significant portion of the audience for Nigerian films.
The board plans to implement extensive awareness campaigns in secondary schools, universities, local communities, religious organizations, and other relevant institutions. Recognizing the significant role of the film industry in the entertainment sector, Husseini stressed the need to prioritize the advancement of the film industry.
The NFVCB advocates for smoke-free movies and a smoke-free Nollywood and encourages collaboration to create content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages.
“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.
“The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and begun implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate,” he said
It has now been mandated that the Board must register all film and video outlets across the country and keep a register of such registered outlets, among other functions.
