Just one year in office, Director General, National Films and Video Censors Board NFVCB, Adedayo Thomas speaks to Lara Akintoye on some of the changes he is bringing on board, challenges and achievements, as well as the battle to checkmate piracy.
WHAT are the functions of the National Films and Video Censors Board?
It is the regulatory agency for films and video works: both the films we watch on DVD and cinemas; even musical video are supposed to be censored or better put, classified. Our major function is to give ratings/classifications to films, whether it is meant for adults, general viewing or for 18 years and below. We have rating for 12a, 12 and we have documentary ratings as well, which in most cases applies to most embassies that are showing films to the public. Our further job is to look into cinemas; cinema owners are equally our partners; we look at the premises, there are standard requirements that cinemas must have; we look into it around and within, the sitting capacity as well as the arrangement. The board also looks into importation and exportation of films. If you are importing films, you must obtain license from the board. Also if you are importing films into cinemas; you are aware that we bring in films from America, India, China, etc that are watched in cinemas, they pass through the board. We look at the normal verification from the owners of the films because we have to conform with the intellectual property rights. So you don’t just bring in any film without the copyright owner authorisation from the owner outside the country. Equally, when you are exporting, you should understand that the owners of the film have given the permission to export his/her films.
The board also monitors markets in terms of unclassified, uncensored works of films and video industry; all these lies within the 6 cardinal points of Video and Censorship Board. The board has about 22 offices around the country and six zonal structures based on the 6 geo-political zones of the country.
What are the laws guiding production of films and videos?
Some of the things we guard against include hate speeches, nudity, the content, as well as the production level, sound effect, etc.
At what point do you ban films and videos?
We actually don’t do banning effects, because we look at the market itself. A film or video is classified as uncensored and unlicensed, when it has not passed through our office. In a situation whereby such film and video has passed through our office, and we have done the necessary corrections, if the owner of the film/video goes back to add more, then the film becomes unclassified and uncensored. But if a good film/video producer takes to the rules and corrections done by the board, then it is a perfect job. So at any point in time where we see any film/video released into the market without passing through the board, it becomes unclassified and uncensored and wherever it is found, the place becomes unlicensed premises and at that point, we take action.
What steps do you take when you discover that uncensored films/videos have been released online?
Before we strike, we ensure that we give a lot of information to people which we are doing on a daily basis. Though it is difficult for the board to go on the cyberspace, it is a national issue which is being looked into by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Ministry of Information. We’re partnering with ‘Google’ to curb this because in most cases, those things come down from ‘YouTube’. You also discover that most of the things that you see on ‘You Tube’, are not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). So it becomes difficult for us to trace. It is when you have your site and your face on a particular thing that we can be able to trace you. We also try as much as possible to enlighten the public; I think it is lack of information and education that makes you release your work free on the internet, because it becomes unprofitable for you. You can only gain popularity and the popularity you gain is not synonymous to you smiling to the bank.
For those the board couldn’t trace, what do you do?
The effort we are making is like building up on the media literacy programme. For instance, last week we commemorated the 2018 ‘World Safer Internet Day’ across the 36 states. What we did was to encourage them to be careful about the kind of musicals and videos and films they watch or listen to, and what they should do with their mobile phones. We equally try as much as possible to educate parents, majority of whom have neglected their roles in terms of training up the child morally and culturally. Most of these children are at the mercy of the teachers and caregivers. Yes government has a lot to do, but a whole lot more is expected of parents to bring up their children on the right path. So, education to parents as well is included in our media literacy programme.
How is the board tackling the issue of musicals and movies that are a deviation to the norm and that are impacting negatively on the under-aged?
There is a huge lot to be done in the creative industry. Presently, we are dealing strongly with the cinemas, films and videos, but with musicals, it comes on board regularly. We send letters to Nigerian stations regularly on the need to classify their works. So we are working with Radio Stations and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). Some of the things we do are done internally to caution or reduce some negative effects to minimal level, which is not known to the public. Once this is discovered, we try as much as possible to caution the producers
Tell us of some of your achievements since assuming office as DG this past one year
When I came in, what I met was totally disheartening, but within one year, I’ve been able to come up with a very solid platform, so that we can have interchange with stakeholders. And so far, stakeholders’ confidence across board have been gained and the production outfit has increased. I also met a disenfranchised and disorientated staff, not because they are not being paid, but because majority of them don’t know their roles. So with the available resources, we have to start educating ourselves and thinking outside the box.
Thirdly, the market has gone down so much when I came in because piracy has caused a lot of damage to stakeholders who are doing their own genuine business. So I have been able to do a couple of raids. The most celebrated one remains when the board entered Alaba Market, where kingpins of pirates are. Successfully, we’ve done that and about five kingpins have been arrested with their goods and charged to court. Hopefully, we are going to have judgement and this will serve as a deterrent to others.
In every police station now, we have Anti-piracy units. We don’t need to write any letter to the IG, now we can walk into any police station and ask for anti piracy team, whom we work with as a team. Within one year, we have raided Alaba, Wuse, Kubwa in Abuja, then Kaduna, Benin, and we were in Osun, Oshogbo last week in particular.
From these raids, we discovered that most retailers don’t understand the norms of having to be in such business. So we applied some leniency actions and we have embarked on serious mass literacy campaign, especially making secondary school students ambassadors of good videos and musicals. We are trying to change these students’ orientation about what they should watch and listen to, thereby empowering them with the right education.
Also, for the first time, the Board held a 3-day Consumer Forum Session in Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi, which had over 145 Stakeholders in attendance, where we discussed issues that bother on film/video works which serves as a bedrock for peace and prosperity in the industry and the country at large. Another major success story is the Box-office; within one year with the few cinemas, we have reached N3Billion and still counting. Last December, for the first time in the history of video industry, Nigeria was rated First Ten in the U.K and all through December to January with Wedding Party 1&2.
What about challenges encountered?
When I was appointed DG last year, I met a debt of N710 Million, owed contractors; some for welfare of staff, among others. Another major challenge is piracy, which is perpetrated by those who made their money illegally. They engage in unclassified and uncensored video/films and works in unlicensed premises, thereby paralysing the industry. Piracy is a big challenge to the industry and we are tackling the menace vigorously. And it goes beyond looking at them like cabals in the piracy world; it is an economic crime and we are collaborating with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to curb the spread.
The warning signs are always there in Hollywood and Bollywood films depicting vices like smoking; but this is lacking in Nigerian films, why?
Presently, the norms have changed, because we are moving with the world horizon. We are doing a lot of internal understanding of the new scope for films censorship and classifications. Some of your discoveries were seen in films shot before year 2015 or before my assumption as the Director General of the Board. So with the new horizon, everything has changed.
What’s your final word
Parents should take seriously the moral upbringing and cultural development of their wards. We also appreciate the efforts of stakeholders so far for their understanding and the platform to work with them, they are no doubt the owners of the industry, because without them and their creativity, there won’t be National Film and Video Censors Board. For those who have anything to do with video, films, musicals, the ease of doing business as enacted by the president and pronounced means you don’t have to wait three weeks to get result on your work. You get your result that same week. Also, feel free to walk into any of our offices and ask questions on anything that bothers you.
