DGN NIGERIA: A REVIEW OF THE NFVCB COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT WORKSHOP

By Perekeme Odon

From the early days of film censorship to a contemporary system committed to providing information and transparency about the content of films, the rating system remains a shining symbol of global artistic and creative freedom and a useful tool that maintains to this day the overwhelming approval of Nigeria’s parents.

In the early 1990s, legal decisions and public outcries over the “morality crisis” in Hollywood films and the emergence of the commercial film era in Nigeria gave rise to the establishment of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) by Act 85 of 1993 as the official regulatory agency for the film and video sector of the Nigerian economy with zonal censorship boards across the country, mainly controlled by the government. The Board is empowered by law to classify all films and videos whether imported or produced locally; register all films and videos outlets across the country and to keep a register of such registered outlets among other functions. Filmmakers had to tailor their films to meet the requirements of the board or face being banned from that market.

Alhaji Adedayo Thomas Executive Director NFVCB

In keeping pace with technological and societal developments and providing innovative classification and censor services to help the public make informed viewing choices, the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) organized a three-day workshop tagged ‘STOP UNCLASSIFIED- Compliance and Enforcement’ for filmmakers, security agencies and stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry on the theme “STRENGHTHENING ENFORCEMENT AGAINST UNCLASSIFIED FILM AND VIDEO WORKS” on 4^th – 6^th January, 2019 at the Elomaz Hotels, Maryland, Lagos.

LR-DCP Ayodeji Ogundele, Adebayo-Salami & Alhaji Adedayo Thomas

The event was hosted by the amiable and charismatic Executive Director of NFVCB, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, and presided by the Ogun state Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Gimba Mogaji, who was aptly represented by DCP Ayodeji Ogundele, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ogun state.

Mr. Tunde Kelani, Chairman NFVCB in a Group Photograph at the workshop

In his introductory address, Alhaji Adedayo said fulfilling the board’s directive is an indispensable mission as practitioners and stakeholders violate the NFVCB’s classification Act, and that is very detrimental to the viewing public and society in general. “This workshop is aimed to bring together key stakeholders in the film, video and music industry to interrelate, interchange ideas and seek solutions to the principal challenges affecting the industry. This will go a long way to show that President Muhammadu Buhari is ready to do business with stakeholders because he is very keen and interested in the creative industry; thus all hands must be on deck to improve on the achievement.”In his introductory address, Alhaji Adedayo said fulfilling the board’s directive is an indispensable mission as practitioners and stakeholders violate the NFVCB’s classification Act, and that is very detrimental to the viewing public and society in general. “This workshop is aimed to bring together key stakeholders in the film, video and music industry to interrelate, interchange ideas and seek solutions to the principal challenges affecting the industry. This will go a long way to show that President Muhammadu Buhari is ready to do business with stakeholders because he is very keen and interested in the creative industry; thus all hands must be on deck to improve on the achievement.”

L-R- Leo Omoseebi, Alhaji Thomas & Joy Akinyemi

The NFVCB boss affirmed strongly that the uniqueness of the workshop can be cherished from the conformation of the participants because “This is the first time in the history of the NFVCB that filmmakers, stakeholders, and the security agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, DSS, NDLEA, EFCC, ICPC and NSCDA will be sitting down together to collectively decide and deliberate on the sanitization and sensitization of the entertainment industry. There is need for the NFVCB to step up its game in order to combat this menace and rid the market of anything unwholesome and unclassified as well as ensure that its various licensees play by the rules.” He went on to divulge that, “It was the desire for compliance that made me, shortly after assumption of office last year, to personally lead enforcement team into the notorious Alaba market where we made a lot of seizures of unclassified and unapproved movies.”

A Cross Section of The Workshop

Representing the Ogun state Commissioner of Police, DCP Ayodeji Ogundele, pronounced his enchantment for the Nigerian Police Force to be part of the historic workshop as a contributor to the Nigerian creative industry and anticipate for a bigger task ahead. He guaranteed the Police assistance in combating the defect of unclassified and uncensored films and videos. He said, “ There has been collaboration between the NFVCB and the Nigerian Police Force, and that synergy has resulted into massive arrest of criminals and defaulters in the industry; especially in 2017 and 2018 where a milestone was recorded.”

L-R-Pere Odon, Fred Amata, Uche Agbo & Victor Emeghara

Furthermore, Adebayo Salami, famously known as Oga Bello saluted and commended the altruistic dynamisms by NFVCB for the productive exchange of ideas regarding sanitizing the industry. He said, “We are going to give the Executive Director and the Board maximum support to achieve its plans and objectives ”,

The first day of the workshop saw participants assigned into four groups with chairmen appointed by members of each group to explore and deliberate on topical security issues; data and information gathering, strategic approach to field operation and security perspectives and intelligence gathering for effective field operation bothering on classification, censorship, enforcement, compliance, import and export of films and videos in Nigeria.

L-R-Foster Ojehonmon, Fred Amata, Ralph Nwadike

An high-point of the workshop was the arrival of movie veteran, ace cinematographer / director and Chairman, Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board, Mr. Tunde Kelani who addressed participants and stakeholders on how excited he was about the workshop and said, “Such gathering should be consistent. I thank every association and organization that has come together to protect the interest of our industry, because this is about our country and the stakeholders”.

Alhaji Adedayo also used the platform to inform the general public that, “This goes a long way to tell the world that there is no conflict between the Chairman and the Executive Director; and the full staff of NFVCB, including the stakeholders who are gathered here for this workshop. This is a wonderful outing."

A Cross Section Of The Workshop

On the third day of the event, facilitators of each group did presentations and submitted copies of their final drafts to the NFVCB to reach a common understanding of the contents of the draft policy thus to increase stakeholders knowledge of key provision and durable solution principles and to develop a strategy to advocate for adoption and implementation of the draft instrument.

Mr. Adedayo thanked participants and stakeholders for bestowing their time and deserting appointments to attend the workshop. He upheld the workshop is going to expose participants to the new and modern industry developments in compliance and enforcement practices around the globe; and therefore serve as a capacity building between the NFVCB staff and stakeholders on issues of compliance and enforcement by engendering a manual on problems concerning monitoring, project the dexterities and expertise of the prosecution officers, and also have an authenticated working document for the Nigerian film and video industry.

(L-R) Pere, Prof. Azeez, Keppy Ekpeyong, Uche, Fred Amata

He declared that the proposed documents by the four groups will be integrated into tactical action plan towards strategy documents on the issues under review to the National Assembly through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed for ratification.

Participants at the workshop were thrilled, motivated and openly threw encomiums at the NFVCB boss, describing him as far-sighted and preemptive individual with high distinctive mental and moral qualities.

The workshop was warmly embraced by over 120 participants and stakeholders from diverse professions, members of security organisations, Nollywood guilds and associations, staff of the NFVCB across all zones and states, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Immigrations Service (NIS), Department of State Services (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

In attendance were veteran Mr. Tunde Kelani, Chairman, Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Mr. Fred Amata, President, Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr. Ralph Nwadike, President, Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Mrs. Chioma Azosiri (AS) Intellectual Property Rights Officer (NIS), Mrs. Joy Akinyemi, Lagos Chairperson, Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria (CDGN), Mr. Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello, Mr. Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Board Member (NFVCB), Mr. Foster Ojehonmon, Vice President (AMP), Mr. Hakeem Lasisi (EFCC), Prof. Adetunji Azeez (LASU), Mr. Benson Akinseye, Board Member (NFVCB), Mr. Niji Akanni, Mr. Clement Ogbo (NFVCB, Lagos), and Mr. Adewale Adeoye, aka Elesho.

Other notable stakeholders are Tunji Ojetola, Uchenna Agbo, National Secretary (DGN), Leo Omoseebi, PRO (CDGN), Perekeme Odon, PRO (DGN), Mark Akhuetie, St. Paul Maradona Mikevine (AGN), Victor, Emaghara (DGN), Tunji Ojetola, Aborishade S. Femi, Richard Bello, Bigdeal Omoruyi, Mr. Victor Akande and Mr. Abdulrazak M. Jimoh (NFVCB, Kano) among others.