Court Halts Public Viewing of ‘Gangs of Lagos’
A Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) has issued a ruling banning the public viewing and streaming of the controversial film “Gangs of Lagos.”
Justice Idowu Alakija delivered the consent judgment following a suit filed by the Isale Eko Descendants Union against Amazon Web Services and other respondents. The court agreed with the plaintiffs that the movie misrepresented and defamed the Eyo Masquerades and the Isale Eko community, portraying them in a negative and criminal light.
As part of the judgment, the defendants are required to issue a public apology to the Isale Eko community for the misrepresentation of their culture.
The lawsuit, initiated by Adeniyi Kazeem (SAN) on behalf of the union, sought a complete ban on the movie and the revocation of its licensing and approval under Lagos State’s Cinematography Law. The union argued that the film wrongfully depicted Isale Eko as a criminal stronghold and disrespected the Eyo Masquerades by associating them with murder and violence.
Following the ruling, Kazeem emphasized that the case set a precedent for protecting indigenous cultural rights, citing the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
“The Isale Eko community successfully established that indigenous cultural heritage must be protected from exploitation and misrepresentation,” Kazeem stated.
This ruling marks a significant victory for cultural preservation, raising questions about artistic freedom vs. cultural sensitivity in Nigerian cinema.
COMMENTS