Shun tribalism, division, Censors Board boss tells Nollywood practitioners

The Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas has advised the practitioners in the nation's movie industry to shun anything that has to do with tribalism and division in order to move the industry forward.

Adebayo gave the advice while speaking at the just concluded maiden edition of the ‘Yoruba Film and Music Fair’ which rounded off last Saturday. He also urged the practitioners to embrace and propagate the African culture in their movies and for Yoruba movie practitioners to make movies that reflect the norms and culture of the Yoruba people.

The Censors Board boss, however, used the medium to charge further practitioners to make good movies and submit same to the Board for censorship, adding that there would be no delay in getting their approvals. He informed them of the task force inaugurated recently in Lagos to rid the market of unclassified films and inject sanity into the industry.

While advising the practitioners to comply with the regulations of the Board as the Board would soon clamp down on defaulters, Adebayo promised to operate an open door policy. He appealed to them to cooperate with the Board in order to move the industry forward as he cannot work without them

Mr. Obi Ezeilo of Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), an AIICO Insurance Plc representative, Mrs. Nneka Akwara of the National Council for Arts And Culture (NCAC) and Chairman of Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN), Lagos chapter, Mr. Emeka Aduah were also featured as speakers, inspiring the industry’s employees to continue being passionate about their work and make their chosen careers more than just a job.

Ezeilo shed light on the importance of the value of copyrights of works and how it protects the integrity of the film or musical works. He specified that the NCC does not sponsor the industry but works with those that do. He also stated that the NCC will work with producers against piracy and will prosecute pirates.

Mr. Emeka Aduah, FVPMAN Chairman, acknowledged the Executive Director of NFVCB’s plan to revive the industry. He called on the regulatory agencies to help practitioners get permit to use government facilities like airports, hospitals for use as office location as well as props and costumes etc. The convener of the fair, Mr. Omotayo Oguntade, enjoined film makers to promote the Yoruba culture anywhere they find themselves, citing an example of Indian films which have penetrated the international market and are today, a force to reckon with. The 3-day fair which held at the Blue Roof auditorium of the Lagos State Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja, had as its theme, ‘Exhibiting Our Culture Through Our Works.’ In attendance were the National Film and Video Censors Board, the Lagos State government and other states of the South West Zone. Others were traditional rulers from the South West and veterans in the film and music industry who all spoke on the need to promote our culture in movies in order to pass on to future generations. The “Yoruba Films & Music Fair” was organized to rediscover the cultural and traditional roots of the Yoruba people as captured in films and the evergreen music of today and yesteryears.