Leaders in Nigeria’s Nollywood industry are asking the government to keep the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) as it is. This is because the government is thinking about making big changes based on the Oronsaye Report.
George Akume, who works with the government, told Hannatu Musawa, the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, to start getting rid of the NFVCB. This has upset many people in Nollywood and others in the entertainment field.
The idea is to join the NFVCB with the ministry, but this skips the legal steps needed to change the law that started the NFVCB. Because of this, many people are worried.
Even the Nigerian Senate is asking the government to stop. They say you can’t just get rid of a group started by law without changing the law first.
Big names in Nollywood are strongly against merging or getting rid of the NFVCB. They fear it will harm all the progress the film industry has made in the last 30 years. They shared these thoughts in a talk with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Victor Okhai, the head of the Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) and leader of Nollywood Guilds, says joining NFVCB with the ministry is a bad idea. He thinks President Bola Tinubu’s creation of the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy is a good step that should not be ruined by removing the NFVCB.
Vice President Kashim Shettima also mentioned, “Nollywood is built by its people. The government should help, not remove the only agency we have.”
“In the past, we knew foreign movies well, but now Nollywood provides over 250 different jobs across all 36 states of Nigeria.”
“If you join NFVCB with the ministry, how can everyone travel to Abuja to classify their films when we already have censor boards in almost every state?”
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Okhai warns that weakening the NFVCB could allow too many illegal films into Nigeria. This would hurt the film industry.
“NFVCB is like the watchful eye for the government. If we have problems, we go to them. If the government has problems with us, they go to NFVCB too.”
Blessing Ebigieson, who leads the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), agrees. She says having an independent film classification agency is the best way to go. Without NFVCB, the film industry might suffer, and Nigerian people, especially children, might see inappropriate content.
“We strongly oppose getting rid of the NFVCB. It is crucial for the growth and safety of our industry.”
As the discussion goes on, Nollywood leaders are firm in asking the government to keep the NFVCB. They believe it is essential for the ongoing success and global standing of Nigeria’s film industry.