FG clarifies ban on ritual, smoking scenes in Nollywood

Shaibu Husseini, the executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has clarified the “misleading reports” on the ban on smoking, money rituals, and the promotion of crimes in Nigerian movies.

NAN earlier quoted Husseini as announcing the ban on behalf of the federal government at a national stakeholders’ engagement on smoke-free Nollywood in Enugu on Wednesday.

The executive director of NFVCB decried the dangers of smoking to health and how such portrayals in movies could negatively influence the younger generation.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“In spite the obvious fact that our culture and heritage are part of our existence, we tend to pay less than optimal attention to the movies that are produced.

“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.”

But on Thursday via X, Husseini clarified that he did not announce a ban on smoking and ritual scenes in movies as widely assumed.

He added that his comment at the event was about the existence of NFVCB Regulations 2024 which in line with global best practices prohibits the promotion of money rituals, ritual killing, and Tobacco products in movies.

“My attention has been drawn to a couple of trending headlines that suggested that the FG, through the @NFVCB, has “banned smoking and ritual scenes in Movies.” Interestingly, there is no part of the report following the headline where I was quoted to have announced the ban,” he wrote in a series of posts.

“I did NOT announce a ban on “smoking,” or smoking, and ritual scenes in movies” at the (southeast zone) stakeholders engagement on a healthy screen and the campaign to have a smoke-free Nollywood which held in Enugu in collaboration with @CAPPAfrica. No, I did NOT.

“What I mentioned in a speech that I have shared here is the existence of a regulation (NFVCB Regulations 2024) that in line with global best practices prohibits the PROMOTION and GLAMOURISATION of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco product, Nicotine products in movies.

“Musical videos and skits. The regulation aims at discouraging the “unnecessary” depiction, promotion, advertisement, or glamourisation of tobacco or nicotine products in movies, musical videos, and skits. The regulation demands the display of a health warning for.

“Necessary smoking scenes that are required for historical accuracy, or for educational purposes, and to depict a negative lifestyle in movies, musical videos, and skits. The required health warning shall be displayed at the commencement of the work and at the end.

“Although we will issue an official position and cause the regulation to be published upon gazetting, I want to assure that as a classification board, we will not implement any policy that will muzzle creativity. Any movie, skit, or musical video that displays or depicts.

“Tobacco or nicotine products, brands, or use that is necessary to the realization of a narrative shall be given the appropriate classification (rating) and shall not be shown to persons below the age of 18. So there is no truth in the “headlines”.”