‘Gangs of Lagos’ Film Is A Slap To Our Culture – Lagos Government 

The Gangs of Lagos movie has been criticised by the Lagos State Government in southwest Nigeria as being extremely amateurish and deceptive.

iexclusivenews reports that the Lagos State government insisted that the content unfairly disparages the state’s culture.

When responding to the planned release of the film series. The state’s commissioner for tourism, arts, and culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said: The ministry, as the governing body and guardian of Lagos State’s culture, saw it as a mockery of the city’s history.

The commissioner claimed that while wearing the full traditional regalia, Jade Osiberu and Kemi Akindoju. Gangs of Lagos movie’s promoters, portrayed the Eyo Masquerade as a villain brandishing a gun.

The commissioner claims that the Eyo Festival is unique and that the Eyo Masquerade is worn as a mark of honour. It is a traditional rite of passage for Obas, revered Chiefs, and prominent Lagos natives.

“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.

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“The Adamu Orisha, popularly known as the Eyo Festival, is rarely observed and only comes up as a traditional rite of passage for Obas, revered Chiefs and eminent Lagosians.”

Akinbile-Yussuf, added, stressed that “the Eyo Masquerade is equally used as a symbol of honour for remarkable historical events”.

“It signifies a sweeping renewal, a purification ritual to usher in a new beginning, a beckoning of new light, acknowledging the blessings of the ancestors of Lagosians.”

What You Should Know:

According to Vanguard, Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, the Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun, a cultural group, earlier criticised the film.

He noted that it offends the culture and sensibility of Lagosians.

Shodipe-Dosunmu described the film as “ethnic profiling, sacrilegious and outrageous trash.”

He said, “In their reckless, disgusting distortion of the sacred illustration of the Lagosian culture. The film-makers reduced the Eyo masquerade into a gun-toting killing machine. Clothing their misfit actors in the full regalia of the Eyo and with the Aga depicting some Conclaves.

“This is a total abomination. It is not only a distortion of our culture, it is a dark insidious profiling of our people as criminals and murderers rampaging across Lagos.

“The Adamu Orisha is a treasured cleansing ritual, a sacred rite performed on the passage of an Oba or for their coronation. It is also used to honor distinguished Lagosians as their final rite of transition.”

“It is vile, evil, perverse; an utterly sadistic mangling of who we are as peace loving, accommodating and enlightened people.

“We demand an immediate withdrawal of this sacrilegious and outrageous trash.

“We demand that the National Film and Video Censors Board and all appropriate authorities to ban this blatant mockery disguising as cinematography and impose the most punitive sanctions on the sponsors of this venomous ethnic profiling,” he said.