Days After Calls For NANCY ISIME’s Forthcoming Movie To Be Banned, See What Nigerian Government Has To Say
The Nigerian Government has responded to the calls for banning a controversial film featuring actress Nancy Isime. The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) addressed the issue following widespread criticism of a movie poster showing Isime wearing a niqab in a robbery scene. The niqab is a long garment worn by some Muslim women to cover the entire body and face, excluding only the eyes.
The poster went viral and sparked outrage among many Muslims, including the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), who described the film as satanic and called for its ban.
In a statement released on Friday, the NFVCB clarified that the film is still in production and has not been submitted for classification. The Board emphasized that the film cannot be evaluated or banned until it is completed and officially submitted for review.
” The National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, the statutory regulatory agency for film and video works as well as exhibition and distribution in Nigeria, has received complaints about an upcoming Nigerian movie that associated the Hijab, an outfit attributed to Muslim women that symbolizes modesty and religious devotion, with negative moral vices, ”
The statement read:
” Our check revealed that the movie has not been released, and it has not been submitted for classification as required by law and our mandate. However, we have been able to reach the producers of the film and have taken steps to address the concerns raised with the producers, ” the Board stated.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that films and videos do not denigrate or undermine religious, cultural, and ethnic sensibilities. ” We restate that as a classification agency, we will not overlook any movie or video works, including skits that abuse, denigrate, or undermine religious, cultural, and ethnic sensibilities. ”
The NFVCB also highlighted its role in contributing to the positive transformation of Nigerian society through the classification of video and film works, balancing freedom of expression with the need to prevent cultural, social, and religious harm caused by films.
