Following the release of the highly anticipated movie “Gangs of Lagos,” the Lagos State Government has condemned the promoters of the Gangs of Lagos film over what it described as “cultural misrepresentation” as well the movie making a mockery of the Heritage of Lagos.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed her disappointment for portraying the Eyo Masquerade as a gun-wielding villain while adorning the full traditional regalia.
“We are of the opinion that the production of the film ‘The Gang of Lagos’ is very unprofessional and misleading while its content is derogatory of our culture, with the intention to desecrate the revered heritage of the people of Lagos. It is an unjust profiling of a people and culture as being barbaric and nefarious. It depicts a gang of murderers rampaging across the State.”
The Commissioner said in a statementShe asserted that the Eyo Festival, also known as the Adamu Orisha, is a rare traditional rite of passage observed by Obas, esteemed Chiefs, and prominent Lagosians.
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She further explained that the Eyo Masquerade serves as a symbol of honor for significant historical events and represents a purification ritual that ushers in a new beginning and acknowledges the blessings of the ancestors of Lagosians, signifying a sweeping renewal and a beckoning of new light.
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Previously, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu of Lagos issued a statement demanding the immediate withdrawal of the film ‘Gangs of Lagos.’ He criticized the movie as an ugly and hate-filled mockery of Lagosian heritage, accusing it of distorting Lagosian culture and ethnic profiling of people as criminals and murderers.
He urged the National Film and Video Censors Board and all relevant authorities to ban the film and impose the most severe penalties on its promoters.
