Nigerian government bans smoking, ritual killings in movies, music videos, skits

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has declared that it would henceforth restrict the depiction of smoking, ritual killings and money rituals in movies, music videos and skits, stressing that it will work with the industry to see how to turn Nollywood to a completely smoke-free.

Penpushing reports that Executive Director of the board, Shaibu Husseini, made this known disclosed at a National Stakeholder Engagement on the “#Smoke-Free Nollywood” campaign, held in Enugu, organised in collaboration with Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

The Director emphasised that the Nigerian government would prohibit the depiction and glamorisation of smoking, violence, criminal acts, immoral acts, ritual killings and money rituals in Nollywood, Nigeria’s film industry.

Penpushing further reports that Hussein explained that the country faced a film industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from parents, guardians, and stakeholders, stressing on resolved to make Subsidiary Regulations to address smoking in movies.

‘Therefore, after a series of engagements, the NFVCB, in collaboration with CAPPA, decided to make Subsidiary Regulations to address smoking in movies since this aspect was not expressly spelt out in the extant Law’, he stated.

‘Today (Tuesday), I am delighted to announce to you that the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, under Section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004, has approved the “Prohibition of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco Product, Nicotine Product Promotion, Glamorization, Display in Movies, Musical Videos and Skits” Regulations 2024. We have forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for Gazette’, he added.

Penpushing also reports that Hussein identified the tobacco industry’s tricks to promote smoking but expressed confidence that the government was prepared to counter them, pointing out that it has been uncovered that tobacco industries hide under the banner of entertainment to flaunt smoking

The Director explained that ‘The goal is eradicating smoking in movies and skits. We will work with the industry to see how we achieve zero, completely smoke-free Nollywood.”

‘Of recent, we realised that tobacco industries hide under the banner of entertainment to flaunt smoking. The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and begun implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate, especially at this crucial time when the National Assembly is insisting that there is “Need to Curb the Rising Spate of Cultism, Trafficking, Consumption of Illicit Drugs and other Substances among Youths in Nigeria”, he stated

“The Board had been urged to undertake detailed enlightenment programs in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups and other institutions, as well as impose restrictions on home movies promoting social vices’, he added

Penpushing reports that notable participants at the event included veteran and top filmmakers, producers, scriptwriters, marketers, and distributors from across the country, which include Zeb Ejiro, Fred Amata, Segun Arinze, Bolaji Amusan, and The Aneke Twins, as well as leaders of various guilds and associations in the Nigerian film industry.

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