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Movie producers call for dissolution of film, video censors board over alleged graft

By Eniola Daniel
02 January 2019   |   4:02 am
Leaders of the Association Movie Producers (AMP), Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Yoruba Film and Video Marketers Association of Nigeria...

Leaders of the Association Movie Producers (AMP), Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Yoruba Film and Video Marketers Association of Nigeria (YOVIFPMAN) and Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN) have jointly called for the dissolution of the 52-man board of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) for indulging pirates as well as working at cross purposes with the Executive Director of the board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas.

Speaking on behalf of the associations in Lagos, AMP’s President, Ralph Nwadike, said the decision was necessitated by the need to respond to the misdemeanor and antagonistic tendencies of NFVCB staff.

“The film industry welcomed the appointment of Alhaji Adedayo Thomas as the Executive Director in 2017, and he actually began by having extensive consultation with stakeholders, which has never happened in the history of the board,” Nwadike said.

He added, “having identified the numerous challenges facing the industry, he started by confronting them. He penetrated and orchestrated several raids in the notorious Alaba Market. This action has not gone down well with certain staffers who used to give these criminals information whenever the board made its intention to raid known.”

Accusing them of conniving with pirates, he said, “these staff are used to disbursing budgets for raids on paper without any practical action nor effect on the film market.”

Affirming their support for the leadership of Adebayo, he said, “we must state and that the director has proven to us that government agencies could positively affect the industry.”

The Board today, “supports the industry in all creative endeavours, supports industry festivals and awards, sponsors and involves itself in raids against uncensored and unclassified movies, as well as sponsors stakeholders to international film festivals.

“We urge the minister to dissolve the 52-man board and put in place a sizeable board that would have a meaningful deliberation and action plan,” he concluded.

On his part, Norbert Ajaegbu, a member of both FVPMAN and AMP, said, “these accusers decided to write a number of frivolous petitions against Adebayo including, stealing of generator in Lagos. You can see how ridiculous it is, and many other petitions call around him. Adebayo started very well, putting his life at risk by persecuting pirates.

“We wish to encourage and implore the Executive Director to continue his good works and to count on the unflinching support of the Nollywood industry, which is open to any good government administrator,” Ajaegbu said.

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