Entertainment lawyers have asserted that actors possess the creative freedom to express themselves and tell stories as they see fit, independent of any religious constraints.
According to The PUNCH, this stance follows backlash over a movie poster shared by Nancy Isime on Thursday.
The poster features two women in black burqas armed with guns, alongside a man in a balaclava holding two hostages during a bank heist.
Another image shows Isime in a hijab, also holding a gun.
The poster sparked significant criticism from some religious groups who felt it disrespected Islam and portrayed it negatively.
The Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern, has demanded a ban on the upcoming film, labeling it as satanic and an extreme case of Islamophobia.
MURIC’s Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, has called for the National Film and Video Censors Board to act against the film, alleging it seeks to depict Muslim women as criminals, potentially inciting violence and discrimination.
Contrary to MURIC’s stance, entertainment lawyers argue that such creative expressions fall within the boundaries of artistic license and secular law.
Principal partner at Sonupe Law Firm, Olumide Sonupe, emphasized that in a secular country, actors’ creative liberties are not bound by religious morality.
He remarked, “It is funny because morality and the law are so confused and put together in such a way that it creates confusion. When we are talking about morality, the morality of the Islamic religion and their belief is very distinct from what the law says. Being a secular society, some people are not religious and that doesn’t stop them from doing things that might be against the morals of any religion. The only thing you can do to such a person is to tell them they are banished from the religious society.”
Sonupe further stated that acting is not meant to be taken as a reflection of reality but as a portrayal.
“If they are acting out a movie that portrays Islam in a bad light, the worst you can do is to tell the followers not to watch the movie. It is called acting, it is not the reality of things. It may be the reality of things,” he stated.
Another entertainment lawyer, Femi Njoku, added that movies often reflect societal realities.
Meanwhile, the National Film and Video Censors Board has stepped in, with Director General Shaibu Husseini announcing late Thursday that they are engaging with the producers to address the concerns raised.
