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Nigerian Films Agency, NFVCB Bans Movie Over Abuse Of Muslim Women’s Veil, To Sanction Kemi Afolabi, Producer

Nigerian Films Agency, NFVCB Bans Movie Over Abuse Of Muslim Women’s Veil, To Sanction Kemi Afolabi, Producer
January 31, 2023

Ta’awunu Human Rights Initiative (THURIST), had petitioned the censors’ board on the 6th of December, 2022, alleging that the film desecrated the sanctity of women in purdah

The National Film and Video censors board (NFVCB) said it has banned a Yoruba movie titled “OSUWON MI.”

In the said movie, a popular Yoruba Nollywood actress Kemi Afolabi, acted some scenes with a Muslim woman’s veil where she flirted around and was eventually accused of adultery.

Afolabi also unveiled herself as a Muslim woman in veil in public.

A group, Ta’awunu Human Rights Initiative (THURIST), had petitioned the censors’ board on the 6th of December, 2022, alleging that the film desecrated the sanctity of women in purdah by maliciously using the Muslim women’s veil in the movie.

Responding, the agency in a letter to the group, obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, said it did not censor nor classify the film and that the movie producer, Mrs. Bisi Obanla and Afolabi broke the law would be sectioned.

The letter read, “1. That the National Film and Video Censors Board will not approve any movie that ridicules any religion nor has the potential to encourage religious discrimination and violence.

“2. The National Film and Video Censors Board take into cognisance the sensitiveness and sensibilities of our multi ethnic and multi religious tenets in its day to day activities.

“3. The movie OSUWON MI was not censored nor classified by the National Film and Video Censors Board. 4. Appropriate action is being taken to withdraw the movie from circulation. 5. The producer Bisi Obanla and the actress kemi Afolabi will be sanctioned as a deterrence.

“6. Drastic measures are being taken to pull down the movie from all streaming platforms and circulation. 7. Appropriate action is being taken against the producer Bisi Obanla and actress kemi Afolabi as deterrence. We appreciate your concem, good works and for bringing to our notice.”

Meanwhile, THURIST reacted to the bringing down of the said movie from all streaming platforms.

A statement by its Director General, Barrister Sulaymon A. Tadese read, “Movie producers had in the last year 2022 produced different home videos which directly affect the rights of Muslim women in veil which we believe you are all aware of and certain steps had been taken to curtail the furtherance of such indecent and nonchalant attitude towards the Muslim community.

“Pursuant to this, the Ta'awunu Human Rights Initiative THURIST had written a petition to the National Film and Video Censors Board to address this gross violation of the rights women in purdah. In October 2022, another Yoruba home video titled "Osunwon mi" in which the Popular Yoruba Actress Kemi Afolabi acted indecently of the Muslim Women in veil, playing an adulterous role with the Niqob (Muslim Women's veil).

“However, we are elated to inform the general public of the Muslim Community that our voice had been heard, as The National Film and Video Censors Board vowed that the Actress Kemi Afolabi and the Producer Bisi Obanla of the said Movie shall be sanctioned by the agency for flaunting her rules on religious doctrines and maliciously bypassing her to publish the said Movie.”