Money ritual, ritual killing, and smoking scenes no longer acceptable in movies, musical videos, skits – FG

The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, has said the Federal Government has approved the prohibition of money rituals and glamourising of vices in Nigerian films.

Husseini disclosed this while speaking at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood in Enugu on Wednesday.

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 of other crimes in order to 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 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, glamourizing smoking in films poses a negative influence on teens and young adults who constitute the largest segment of Nigeria movie viewers. He said the board was set to undertake detailed enlightenment programmes in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups and other institutions.

He added, “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,” he said.