The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has announced an upcoming meeting with association members to formulate a unified response to the Federal Government’s recent directive banning money rituals, smoking, and crime scenes in Nigerian films.
Rollas, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, addressed the announcement made by Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, confirming the government's ban on these controversial scenes.
While personally supporting the directive, Rollas emphasized that his stance does not necessarily reflect the collective position of the guild. He highlighted the government's concern that such scenes tend to glamorize harmful behaviors, which could have a detrimental impact on society.
“The Federal Government isn’t outrightly banning these elements,” Rollas explained. “The directive is aimed at stopping the glamorization of these acts, which misrepresents Nigerian culture and suggests they are the only means of survival.”
He noted that discussions have taken place about creating a smoke-free Nollywood. Rollas pointed out that some Nigerian musicians, despite being smokers in real life, avoid depicting smoking in their videos to appeal to a global audience. He stressed that glamorizing social vices sends the wrong message and fails to encourage positive behavior change. He expressed concern that many Nigerian youths now believe wealth can only be achieved through dubious means, which the government intends to address.
Rollas also stated that it is possible to tell stories involving money rituals without glamorizing them and mentioned that the association will continue discussions to decide on a collective stance. He clarified that he was speaking in his personal capacity.
Bolaji Amusan, National President of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, also weighed in on the issue. He reported attending a conference in Enugu State where the directive was announced. Amusan noted that the government had explained its rationale and that his association would discuss the directive further. He expressed preliminary support for the government’s position, considering cultural factors, and indicated that the association would address any concerns with the government as necessary.
