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The federal government has prohibited the display of money ritual scenes and the glamorizing of vices in Nollywood movies.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Executive Director/CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu State.
He said money ritual, ritual killing, tobacco, tobacco products, nicotine product promotion and glamorisation display in movies, musical videos and skits have been prohibited while efforts are ongoing to sensitize stakeholders on the new development.
Speaking at the event organized by the NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Husseini stressed the need to take bold and ambitious actions to protect viewers and other stakeholders.
According to him, “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.
Husseini said the sensitisation programme was to educate stakeholders on the danger inherent in the consumption of smoking in Nigerian movies.
According to him, besides the health implications, glamorising smoking in films poses a negative influence on teens and young adults, who constitute the largest segment of Nigerian movie viewers.
He said that the board was set to undertake detailed enlightenment programmes in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups and other 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.