Isale Eko descendants secure ruling against public viewing of ‘Gangs of Lagos’

A Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos has stopped the public viewing and streaming of a controversial film titled “Gang of Lagos.” The consent judgment by Justice Idowu Alakija followed the terms of the agreement filed in the suit between Isale Eko Descendants Union & 2 Ors against Amazon Web Services & 11 Ors.

The judge held both parties’ position that the movie, titled, “Gangs of Lagos,” erroneously portrayed and disparaged the cultural heritage of the well-respected Eyo Masquerades and the peace-loving nature, as well as the long-standing traditions of the Isale-Eko people, and that the defendants shall therein tender an unreserved apology to the applicants in this regard.”

It would be recalled that the Isale Eko Descendants Union, through a motion on notice filed by the Chairman of the union, Adeniyi Kazeem (SAN), dated May 30, 2023, had asked the court to outrightly ban the movie and ask the respondents to tender apology to Lagosians.

The applicants had also asked the court for an order of mandamus, directing and compelling the first and second respondents to perform their statutory duty under the Cinematography Law of Lagos State and revoke the Licence and Approval granted to Greoh Studios and “The Make it Happen Productions,” the producers of the movie titled “Gangs of Lagos,” for its illegal and defamatory depiction of the Isale-Eko community as a den of criminals and the revered cultural and national icon, the Eyo Masquerades, as a gang of murderers and assassins.

However, Kazeem (SAN), in a statement after the judgment, said: “The community of Isale-Eko in Lagos State was able to establish, along with other rights, that there are inalienable cultural rights that accrue to indigenous communities that need to be vigorously protected. Indeed, the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states, among other things, that the culture of indigenous people must be protected.

“That indigenous people have intellectual property rights in their culture and there can be no exploitation or usage of those rights without the express permission of the indigenous communities.”