Actors petition censors board over movie demonising Tiv culture

Association of Tiv Actors, Nigeria, has petitioned the National Film and Video Censors Board over the movie, ‘Magdalene’ directed by Kenneth Nwawueze for greatly misrepresenting and demonising Tiv culture on Marriage.

President of the association, Shimael Peter Akimbo, yesterday, at a press briefing, said the movie portrays Tiv culture as immoral, barbaric and completely repugnant to natural reason and morality.

According to Akimbo, the movie, set in Tiv land with Tiv names and characters, tells a story of a young Tiv man coercing his wife to sleep with his friend, a guest, as a form of hospitality.

“This is totally untrue of the Tiv culture and matrimonial custom,” Akimbo added.

He stated that Tiv culture has never condoned infidelity and promiscuity in marriage, noting that the marriage custom is built on high values.

“The plot of the movie is deliberately malicious and misleading in every aspect. It is also unprofessional of any script writer to produce a storyline that is purely based on misleading stereotype.”

Unhappy that the movie is currently and regularly being aired on DSTV’s African Magic Epic Channel since early June this year, the Tiv Actors’ President said if the censors board fails to take action, his association will slam a legal action on the producer.