James Agberebi
The Executive Director of the National Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) , Shaibu Husseini, has debunked reports that the Board placed a ban on money rituals and smoking scenes in movies and other videos.
Reports in some media outfits had claimed that Husseini made the pronouncement at a stakeholder engagement event on ‘smoke-free Nollywood’ in Enugu State.
Reacting to the reports Husseini in a statement, said NFVCB had no plans of carrying out such moves but to classify movies properly.
“What I mentioned in a speech that I have shared here is the existence of a regulation (NFVCB Regulations 2024) that, in line with global best practices, prohibits the Promotion and glamourisation of Money Ritual, Ritual Killing, Tobacco, Tobacco product, Nicotine products in movies, musical videos and skits,” Husseini said.
“The regulation aims at discouraging the ‘unnecessary’ depiction, promotion, advertisement, or glamorisation of tobacco or nicotine products in movies, musical videos, and skits.
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“The regulation demands the display of a health warning for necessary smoking scenes that are required for historical accuracy or educational purposes and to depict a negative lifestyle in movies, musical videos, and skits. The required health warning shall be displayed at the commencement of the work and the end.”
He added that any movie, skit, or musical video that displays or depicts tobacco or nicotine products, brands, or use that is necessary to the realisation of a narrative shall be given the appropriate classification (rating) and shall not be shown to persons below the age of 18. So there is no truth in the ‘headlines’ (that went viral).
