Ban Anti-Muslim Movie now – MURIC to NFVCB
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to investigate and place an immediate ban on an upcoming film showing women in purdah brandishing dangerous weapons, robbing banks and committing other crimes.
Nancy Isime, a Nollywood actress had sparked outrage among Muslims on social media in Nigeria after posting on Instagram, a movie poster featuring actresses wearing Hijab and Niqab (attires exclusive to Muslim women) holding guns in a bank robbery scene.
MURIC made its displeasure known in a press statement by its Executive Director Prof Ishaq Akintola on Thursday, 25th July, 2024 which describes the film as inciting the public against Muslim Women and exposing Muslims in general to “public ridicule and opprobrium”
Akintola who referred to the film as “satanic”, “repugnant” and “Islamophobia taken to the highest level” deduced it as part of a plot orchestrated by Muslim-haters to stop Muslim women from wearing Hijab and Niqab.
Read Also:
While also advising Nigerian Muslims to be calm he said: “To Nigerian Muslims who have inundated our communication channels with the video clips, voice notes and other types of messages, we have this to say: please remain calm and peaceful. You have spoken loud and clear. We have received your messages and action is being taken right now. Our religion brought a message of hope and peace to the world. We will not allow anyone to paint our women, our mothers, our wives, our daughters and sisters in the colours of Shaytan. Be good ambassadors of Islam. Don’t take the law into your hands. Allow the authorities to take necessary action.”
The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) also in a press release by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor called the portrayal of the Niqab as misrepresenting the sacredness of the Niqab, which is a garment holding significant religious importance for Muslim women. He warned that such representations will perpetuate harmful stereotypes and therefore called on human rights organisations and government bodies to take a stand against such misrepresentations.
Meanwhile, The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) as the statutory regulatory agency for film and video works in Nigeria, have waded into the matter after being inundated with complaints.
Parts of it press release is as follows: “Our check revealed that the movie has not been released, and it has not been submitted to the NFVCB for classification as required by law and our mandate.”
“However, we have been able to reach the producers of the film and have taken steps to address the concerns raised with the producers.”
“We restate that as a classification agency, the NFVCB will not overlook any film or video works, including dramatized short contents (skits) that abuse, denigrate, or undermine religious, cultural and ethnic sensibilities”
“We commit to contributing to the positive transformation of the Nigerian society through classification of films and video works whilst balancing the need to preserve freedom of expression within the law, and limit social, cultural and religious harm caused by films.”
