Reactions to the Federal Government’s proposal to outlaw smoking, money rituals, ritual killings, and the glamourization of these vices in Nigerian cinema are conflicting.

Recall that during a recent national stakeholders’ engagement on smoke-free Nollywood in Enugu, Dr Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, revealed the government’s position.

The NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, or CAPPA, organized the event, which brought together actors, directors, and producers of motion pictures from all over the nation in one location.

Attendees included representatives from a range of guilds and associations within the Nigerian film industry.

Husseini called the Nigerian film industry’s glamorization of smoking, ritualistic behavior, and murdering an industry emergency that called for audacious and ambitious action from all parents, guardians, and stakeholders.

He stated: “When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, on the need to make 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 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 products promotion, and glamorisation display of crimes in movies, musical videos and skits regulations 2024. We have also forwarded the approved copy to the Federal Ministry of Justice for official gazette.”

He mentioned that the goal of the sensitization campaign was to inform interested parties about the risks associated with smoking in Nigerian films.

He clarified that, in addition to the health risks, the glamorization of smoking in films has a detrimental effect on teenagers and young people, who make up the majority of Nigerian moviegoers.

He announced that the board planned to implement comprehensive education initiatives in secondary schools, universities, local communities, faith-based organizations, and other establishments.

“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 smoke-free Nollywood, therefore, we seek your collaboration to develop creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages,” he stated.

Industry stakeholders are now split on the policy, according to ZINGTIE.

Actors and actresses, among other industry professionals, discussed the development with ZINGTIE and offered differing perspectives.

Veteran Nollywood actor Bob Manuel Udokwu added that most Nigerians were misinterpreting the government’s action.

“I believe that the restrictions about smoking and a few other practices, like ritual scenes in Nollywood films, are being wrongly reported as a ban by the media.

“There is no outright ban on those practices in our movies, rather the Federal Government through the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, is making sure that film makers are not inadvertently promoting smoking and ritual acts in films.

“They can be done when it becomes compelling to use them to tell stories like in documentaries and true life stories.

“The NFVCB is already having meetings with movie makers to explain the new position of the government on the matter and we, as practitioners, support the move.

“I had a long fruitful phone conversation with the Censors Board chairman, Dr Hussein Shaibu on the matter.

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“He assured me that he is there to make classifications and content of movies, music videos, skits and the likes better and more dignified for various categories of viewers/audiences. Dr Shaibu is a veteran of the entertainment industry, so there is nothing to worry about,” he said.

However, Nollywood actress Jennifer Obodo believes that rather than focusing on the Federal Government’s smoking ban and ritual acts in Nollywood, they should consider more pressing matters about Nigeria.

“The first question I asked when I saw this was- is it that they watch just the beginning of movies and forget to watch the end or what?

“Movies are make belief; a form of interpretation of a story and not just the narrative itself. If the government wants to ban smoking, then it should start by banning the sale or production of cigarettes.

“What is the essence of parental guidance in movies? The Federal Government should just sit down and focus on how to make Nigeria a better place.

“Fuel is expensive, food stuffs are expensive, there are no good roads, kidnappings are everywhere and all the leaders could think of is to ban smoking and rituals in Nollywood. So, is Nollywood Nigeria’s biggest problem now?

“Let me ask: what’s their contribution to the so called Nollywood and entertainment industry as a whole, for them to wake up and think that they can tell us what to do? Please, we have other pending issues that need urgent attention and action not Nollywood.

“If possible they should just ban the entire industry; no more production of films in Nigeria. Let everybody go and rest,” she told ZINGTIE.

Ngozi Eze Evuka, a different actress, is advocating for the Federal Government to concentrate on the educational sector in order to teach youngsters that films are only works of fiction and not always what they seem.

“Furthermore, movies can only educate, and entertain and not corrupt our viewers. I don’t support the ban. The question we should ask is: are the ritualists in these movies real?

“Being a smoker is a personal choice. In all, I am not in support of the purported ban on smoking and ritual movies. When you start banning these acts, very soon the FG will ban sexual acts, witchcraft acts, native doctor acts, and so many other acts in Nollywood. So I don’t support it one bit,” she submitted.

Nnaemeka Charles Eze (Nani Boi), who contributed, lamented that the government had chosen to focus on petty issues like smoking bans and ceremonial acts in Nollywood rather than addressing the many problems facing the nation.

He said: ‘Much as I believe that the Federal Government wants the best for its citizens, I do not think this should be their priority at a time when it looks like nothing is working in the country. “Some of our movies are actually true life stories.

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“So, in telling such stories, how do we interpret smoking scenes if it happened in such stories? Most, if not all the Nollywood movies that involve rituals end with good lessons to educate the viewers on the nemesis cum repercussions of evil.

“So what happens to those lessons that are taught through such nemesis? I suggest that they should have a rethink about the ban, and probably, find a better way around it. Maybe, like having a body or agency that will watch the movies and ensure that every expectation is met, that is if the agency will not compromise.

“Meanwhile, we, at Nollywood, over reach ourselves sometimes. We really need to do better, especially in the way we market our culture and traditions. Sometimes, it is not really as we make it to look. So, I think we need to strike a balance.”

Nelson Bright believes that the prohibition on smoking in theatres is a step in the right direction against the illicit trade in human organs and human trafficking.

“I have consistently maintained that ritual killings for monetary gain are baseless. No human body part inherently generates wealth unless it is sold; for instance, a basic corneal transplant costs between $5,000 and $10,000, while a lung transplant can range from $800,000 to $1 million.

“As long as kidneys remain in high demand, people will continue to go missing. This explains why many errand killers for ritualists are tasked with returning the organs within specific time frames or under certain conditions,” he said.

However, he pointed out that there are drawbacks to the prohibition. He claims that it infringes upon individual freedom and discretion. “Are Nigerians not already constrained and restricted enough?” he queried.

Additionally, he pointed out that the action would discourage artistic expression at a time when Nollywood was becoming more well-known abroad and would turn skilled filmmakers away from Nigerian movies. This is because the big networks that distribute films do not apply such rigorous regulations.

“Consequently, the government may lose profits, and moviegoers may miss out on authentic storytelling,” he added.

Additionally, Don Sylvester Nweke, the CEO of Don Sylvester Records and a supporter of Nollywood and the Association of Movie Producers in Lagos, stated that the ban was unnecessary.

He said: ‘In Nigeria, we know that smoking is banned in public places. We also know that any kind of ritual is banned, but I don’t think it is necessary to ban it in Nollywood because everything in life has good and bad sides.

“There is a manifest function of Nollywood as well as latent function. We can’t because of the latent function and bad things going on in society decide to ban smoking and rituals in film. This is the culture but the thing is that they should ensure films are rated just like in America.

“I think in every film that contains smoking or ritual acts, we should make it end in a very bad way so that it will discourage the youth from indulging in it. Banning it cannot help; rather it will make the film production dull.

“I mean censoring that aspect of what is happening in our society will make the film industry dull because actually they are happening in our society.

“They should ensure that the concluding part of such a movie shows where the smokers and ritualists are arrested and punished for their acts. That will serve as a deterrent because whether you like it or not, such acts are happening and the youths are watching it live on the street and hearing from their friends.

“So, if you don’t educate the young ones through the movie, they will see it in the street and do it because they don’t know its end and they will get into trouble.

“Such films educate them on the dangers of such practices. People smoke on the street and children see them. People do rituals and they are caught on the street and given jungle justice.

“So, it makes no difference banning such things in films. If you stop it in Nigerian films, what about the foreign films? Do you think Nigerians don’t watch foreign films? Youtube is also there; are they going to also stop smoking and ritual acts there? Youtube is accessible to everybody and Nigerians watch it.”

Maxi Okwu, the former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), expressed worry about the action’s violation of Nigerians’ fundamental rights.

He clarified that while the government appeared to have a valid reason for attempting to impose the ban, he maintained that the government needs to be aware that the constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

He explained that the government might seem to have a good point in trying to enforce the ban, but insisted that the government should know that the constitution guarantees every Nigerian the freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

“So, it is a freedom that must be protected as long as you don’t derogate other people’s rights. So, if you want to practise voodoo in a film or some magic in a movie, which is just a make-belief, I don’t know.

“However, you could say it can set a bad example; you can say that, but my issue is how much does it impinge on the fundamental freedom of thought, conscience and other things in the constitution.

“It may not fly against that fundamental right unless they amend the constitution. You cannot make a law that derogates from the fundamental rights,” he added.

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