Eko Hot Blog reports that Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, a Lagos prince, has demanded the immediate ban of the blockbuster Nollywood movie, ‘Gangs of Lagos’.
‘Gangs of Lagos’ has been streaming on Amazon Prime Video since its release last Friday.
The movie’s depiction of Eyo Festival has offended some Lagosians, who claim that it distorted their culture.
The film depicts some criminals disguising as Eyo masquerades to commit crimes but does not describe the legitimate Eyo Festival as criminal.
Nevertheless, some people have taken offence and called on relevant authorities to ban ‘Gangs of Lagos’.
In a statement on Wednesday, Shodipe-Dosunmu appealed to the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and all appropriate authorities to withdraw the movie from circulation because it is “an ugly, hate filled mockery of the Lagosian heritage.”
The politician also claimed that the film is not only a distortion of Lagos culture, but also an ethnic profiling of its people as criminals and murderers.
Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu
Shodipe-Dosunmu noted that the Adamu Orisha masquerade festival is a treasured cleansing ritual, a sacred rite performed on the passage of an Oba or for their coronation and used to honour distinguished Lagosians as their final rite of transition.
According to him, since Ejilu and Malakin, the brothers of Olori Olugbani first initiated the Eyo rite in celebration of Oba Ado Keme, the Adamu Orisha has become a sacred ancestral heritage celebrated with awe and deserving adoration.
He averred that Eyo rite signifies a sweeping renewal, a purificational ritual to usher in a new beginning, a beckoning of new light, acknowledging the blessings of the people’s ancestors.
“In their reckless, disgusting distortion of the sacred illustration of the Lagosian culture, the film makers reduced the Eyo masquerade into a gun toting [sic] killing machine, clothing their misfit actors in the full regalia of the Eyo and with the Aga depicting some Conclaves,” Shodipe-Dosunmu said.
“This is a total abomination. It is not only a distortion of our culture, it is a dark insidious profiling of our people as criminals and murderers rampaging across Lagos.
“To use the sacred Adamu Orisha Masquerade as an object of terror and loose criminality is to savage and despoil the Lagosian tradition. It is vile, evil, perverse; an utterly sadistic mangling of who we are as peace loving, accommodating and enlightened people.
“We demand an immediate withdrawal of this sacrilegious and outrageous trash. We demand that the National Film and Video Censors Board and all appropriate authorities to ban this blatant mockery disguising as cinematography and impose the most punitive sanctions on the sponsors of this venomous ethnic profiling.”
He appealed to the Lagos state government, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, and all the custodians of the tradition of Lagos “to rise up in defense of the people’s culture and tradition.”
“We also appeal to the Lagos state government, the Oba of Lagos Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Akinolu, all the custodians of our tradition including the Alaworo of Adamu Orisha and Akinsiku Chief Ademola Dosunmu to rouse up in protective defense of our tradition against the ravages of these agents of condemnable pollution of all that we cherish in this sacred soil of Oba Ado Keme,” the Lagos prince said.
“Ethnic profiling is recognised as a crime against humanity by the International Court of Justice. This provision can also be invoked against these sacrilegious hate baiters.”
‘Gangs of Lagos’ producers say the film is a complete work of fiction and not a portrayal of anyone, dead or alive.
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