The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has called on Nollywood stakeholders to ensure that films and music videos are free from depictions of harmful substances such as tobacco smoking, criminal acts, ritual killings, and money rituals. This directive was issued by NFVCB Executive Director, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, during the National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Tuesday.
Dr. Husseini praised the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) for organizing the event as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts within Nigeria’s creative industry. He highlighted the crucial role of the film industry in the entertainment sector, stating, “It is imperative that we continue to place the highest premium on the progress of the film industry.”
He emphasized the urgent need for decisive actions from parents, guardians, and industry stakeholders to address the portrayal of unapproved and unclassified content. “We are facing an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians, and stakeholders,” Husseini said.
Husseini called for public and private sector collaboration to mobilize funding and create innovative models aimed at educating and sensitizing the public, particularly mothers and youth, about the dangers of harmful content in media.
CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, also stressed the importance of a Smoke-Free Nollywood, urging stakeholders to halt the glamorization of smoking in films and promote healthier lifestyles. “We are at a point where we must stop the globalisation of smoking and instead promote a healthy lifestyle,” Oluwafemi said.
He pointed out that smoking remains prevalent in Nigerian movies despite the NTC-Act and Tobacco Control Regulations 2019, which ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorships in entertainment.
Oluwafemi commended Dr. Husseini for initiating a dialogue with industry stakeholders to work towards eliminating the unhealthy promotion of tobacco use on Nigerian screens.
