Nollywood Barred from Depicting ‘Money Rituals’, others – FG

The Federal Government has approved the prohibition of money rituals, ritual killings, and the glamorization of vices in movies, musical videos, and skits.

This development was announced by the Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, during a National Stakeholders Engagement on smoke-free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday, May 22.

According to Husseini, the approval was granted by the Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, pursuant to Section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004.

The regulation, which has been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for gazetting, aims to curb the display of tobacco, tobacco products, and nicotine promotion in films.

Husseini emphasized that the glamorization of smoking and other vices in films poses a negative influence on teenagers and young adults, who constitute the largest segment of Nigerian movie viewers.

To address this, the NFVCB plans to undertake detailed enlightenment programs in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups, and other institutions.

The move is seen as a bold step towards sanitizing the film industry and promoting a positive and healthy culture among Nigerian youth. With this development, the NFVCB is poised to tackle the “industry emergency” requiring bold and ambitious actions from all stakeholders.