BREAKING: President Tinubu Prohibits Money Ritual, Smoking Scenes In Nollywood Films

BREAKING: President Tinubu Prohibits Money Ritual, Smoking Scenes In Nollywood Films

President Bola Tinubu’s administration, through the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has given approval to prohibit money rituals and the glorification of vices in Nigerian films.

Dr. Shaibu Husseini, the Executive Director/CEO of NFVCB, announced this decision during a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood in Enugu.

Husseini highlighted the urgent need for proactive measures from parents, guardians, and stakeholders to address the current crisis within 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 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 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.

The sensitization program aims to raise awareness among stakeholders about the risks associated with depicting smoking in Nigerian cinema.

He emphasized that apart from the health risks, portraying smoking in a glamorous light in movies can have a detrimental impact on teenagers and young adults, who form a significant portion of the Nigerian movie audience.

The NFVCB is planning extensive awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, local communities, religious groups, and other relevant institutions.

“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.

“The NFVCB is well prepared to take leadership in this regard and has planned and began implementing innovative ways to achieve its mandate,” he said.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NFVCB is responsible for registering all film and video outlets nationwide and maintaining a comprehensive record of such establishments, among other duties.

NAN