Alex Omenye
The Lagos State Government, through the Commissioner of Arts, has condemned the film ‘Gangs of Lagos’, calling it a mockery of the state’s heritage.
The state was upset with the movie’s directors, Jade Osiberu and Kemi Akindoju, for portraying the Eyo masquerade as a gun-wielding villain in the movie.
Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, the state commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, in a statement on Wednesday that the film was a cultural misappropriation that depicted the state’s culture in a disrespectful manner.
“We believe that the production of the film ‘Gangs of Lagos’ is very unprofessional, misleading and that its content is derogatory of our culture, with the intention of desecrating the revered heritage of the people of Lagos,” she said.
The commissioner also added that the movie profiled the people of Lagos.
She added, “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.”
According to Akinbile-Yussuf, the Adamu Orisha, also known as the Eyo festival, is rarely observed and solely serves as a customary rite of passage for monarchs, renowned chiefs, and prominent Lagosians.
She went on to say that the Eyo masquerade represented a grand rejuvenation, a purification rite to bring in a fresh beginning, and the beckoning of new light.
Jade Osiberu and Kemi Akindoju’s ‘Gangs of Lagos’ is a story about three young Lagosians who have to live through betrayal in Isale Eko in their pursuit of a better life.
