Nigeria’s National Film and Video Censors Board has responded to public complaints involving images featuring the hijab in a project featuring Nollywood actress Nancy Isime.
In some of the now viral images, which were initially shared on the actress’s Instagram account, she is seen posing with actors Mike Afolarin, Deyemi Okanlawon, Femi Adebayo, and Uzor Arukwe. But those are not the images that have spurred complaints. The complaints are based on the couple of photos in which Isime can be seen hoisting a gun while hidden behind the hijab. She captioned the series of photos, “Life lately”.
Some of the comments under the photos criticised the actress for associating a dress used by Muslims with crime. But the photos remain up days later, while online opinion appears divided by religious lines.
The NFVCB, which is responsible for rating films and similar material has now responded to what it says were “complaints about an upcoming Nigerian movie” in an official statement. “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,” the body said yesterday.
“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.”
Amid the online uproar following the release of the images, some details, like the name of the project, appear to have been lost. But a close look at one of the images shows that the film appears to be titled Three Working Days and it’s directed by Jerry Ossai.
But in what mght be a response to the controversy, Isime shared a few texts on her Instagram account last night. “Getting talked about don’t faze me,” one says. “Look who’s talking.”
