The National Film and Video Censors Board was established by Act 85 of 1993 as the official regulatory agency for the film and video sector of the Nigerian economy. Knowing that a body as this exist is an applause. But what is their core function?
This body needs to come alive to its responsibilities as an advisory agency to the government of the day.
This will be on how best to regulate projection of immoral content capable of influencing the character of our younger ones. The body as an advisory agent to government must work hand in hand with the government to kick against scenes that divide and promote disunity in any movie.
Graphic content is a visual image with drugs, alcohol, killing, shooting, rituals, sex, strong words, violence, smoking and everything that is X-rated and uncensored that is shown on Television. A number of music videos that are aired nowadays on television are also not left out. The contents are very disturbing to the extent that it promotes nudity, brutish gestures, swear languages and generally immodest scenes.
What are the concerned authorities reposed with discipline doing about the surge of these obscene contents all around the music videos showing in our various televisions? I have seen music videos that all the dancers danced semi-naked and almost naked. It is also worrisome that our youngsters know the lyrics and the latest dance steps to this songs. They even sing along and their parents allow them watch and memorise this kind of songs.
These days, there are more prevalent adults songs and there are no more differences between adults songs and movies. And our children see, watch and know everything that go on air. Where are the children kind of series, music and movies?
Are you surprised the ills and moral decadence seen all over Nigeria? There are no more exercise of discretion among children, adolescents, teenagers and youngsters.
There was a process of exposure decades back in the days. Tales by Moonlight. It was a moonlight story telling series with motives to teach good morals! There are no more sponsors for these kinds of family programmes hence it has disappeared on air view. Rather, indecent movie would be shown at family times. I am referring to days where the Censors Board was penalising movies and songs that fell short of decency.
How have the authorises faired with the influx of artists releasing all sorts of music movies and home videos? The focus now is to safeguard our youngsters and redirect their mindset and give them a better orientation to disregard those indecent scenes shown on television and face the real world void of guns, killing, sex, drugs, rituals and to get more focused on the positive side moral life.
What our children watch can corrupt their minds and focus in life. Constantly seeing and watching these scenes on television may ingrain the wrong morals, thereby making them accept it as the norm.
There have been arguments about parental control settings on the programmes. But how many of our parents are always home to ensure that the settings on the programme remain, especially with today’s kind of teenagers and children, who are vast with technology from the womb? No doubts, they are more vast in technology than their parents. They can easily change the settings without the knowledge of their parents. Parents require concerted effort to make their wards focus on series that are meant for their age.
These attitudes of rave of the moment is a dangerous thing to imbibe on our children. It is imperative that our smart children are kept under check before they gets out of hands.
Continued scenes showing where actors use their family members for money rituals are very obsolete story lines and should be banned! These fictions damage our reputation as a country among other elitist countries as if that is what is obtainable.
Nigeria is a hospitable country with very accommodating people, a very appreciative people with impeccable qualities. As a result, our society should come together and frown against graphic contents in our movies.
. Lilian Mabeek is a writing enthusiast who enjoys to captivate her readers with everyday happenings or experiences as it best soothes each person, having similar and peculiar reactions and interaction with daily life occurrences. As an inspirational writer focused on indelible prints of positivity of the minds on anyone reading a line or pages as it were, she prefers not to delve into negative stories or publications, but rather intentionally purges the minds of readers to awaken to a beautiful world where endless joy is found and possibilities exist. For Mabeek, her purpose is to bring peaceful memories, coexistence and friendliness to the mind of anyone who reads her daily digest. You can describe her choice of expression as a daily English usage for better comprehension among readers of all educational qualifications. Mabeek’s passion for writing was borne out of ensuring that anyone reading any publication will find pleasure, humour, laughter and an appreciation of whatever is being written about, but ultimately avert stress, anxiety, depression and any form of life challenge. As a social commentator and public relations consultant, for her the pen is a tool to the heart of the society, bringing public enlightenment that it pays to focus on positive narratives and creating a greater image for Nigeria.