IDU Threatens Legal Action Against Producers Of ‘Gangs Of Lagos’ Movie

A socio-cultural group, Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU) has petitioned the Nigeria Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB) over the producers of the movie “Gang of Lagos” misrepresentation of the Isale Eko community and Eyo Masquerade with gangsterism.

The group and other community stakeholders have threatened legal actions on the owners of the movie which was released to the global audience last Friday on the Amazon Prime Video streaming platform.

The “Gang of Lagos”, an action movie shot at Isale Eko in Lagos Island and was produced and directed by Jade Osiberu. The movie is based on three characters, Gift, Ify and Obalola who grew up in the isale Eko community.

In a statement released  signed by the chairman of Isale Eko Descendants Union, Mr. Yomi Tokosi,  the group stated that the Eyo Masquerade which belongs to the community was “depicted as being used as a camouflage, decoy and subterfuge for murderers and gangsters operating in Isale Eko Area.”

The statement read partly, “The attention of the Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU) has been drawn to the very disturbing violent images of the movie directed by Jade Osiberu and Kemi Lala Akindoju.

“In the movie, ‘Gang of Lagos’, the unique eyo masquerade indigenous to the Isale Eko community in Lagos was illegally and scandalously depicted as being used as a camouflage, decoy and subterfuge for murderers and gangsters operating in Isale Eko Area.’’