Gangs Of Lagos: Cultural Sensitivity Should Guide Creative Tourism-Runsewe

The Director General,  National Council for Arts and Culture ( NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe on Friday said that the uproar created by the production of a new film,  GANGS OF LAGOS, calls for strategic rethinking on cultural related narratives by film makers in Nigeria in order to avoid public resentments  and reactions.

Runsewe pleaded with the Lagos State Government and the good people of Lagos, to forgive the infractions contained in the flick, assuring to arrest such Cultural insensitivity headlong.

Recall that Hangs Of Lagos had depicted the iconic Eyo masquerade as enabler of violence,  drawing angry reactions from cultural groups in Lagos Island and from the State government which described it as a  misrepresentation of the cultural ethos of the Eyo masquerade and an insult to the tradition and history of Lagosians.

Runsewe who doubles as the President, World Craft Council, Africa Region, noted that Eyo masquerade is one of the key cultural tourism products associated with the history of Lagos nay Nigerian culture, and advised film makers,  to be well guided when producing for public consumption, films on Nigerian cultural history so as not to provoke tension and irritations across the country.

According to the NCAC DG, The Lagos State government, for instance has invested and has continued to champion the growth of the Creative sector, targeting young persons for training in all aspects of film making and production, with community theatre halls built at each of its local geospace and even with Jk Randle Yoruba Museum,  where researches on Yoruba culture and tradition can be learnt first hand.

“So films with narratives on the ways of life of our people must trend on best acceptable and sensitive information profiling.”

Though the world of Creativity is said to hold no boundaries, Runsewe noted that when it comes to cultural narratives, careful measures, strategic profiling, dedicated investigation and request to collaborate with custodians of national cultural and traditional institutions should be thoroughly considered and consulted.

“During the last NAFEST festival in Lagos, we at NCAC wrote to the Oba of lagos, requesting the participation of the iconic Eyo masquerade.

“We were made to appreciate and understand that Eyo masquerade public appearance is guided by certain traditional ethics and procedure, so we expect our film makers to follow same engagement route.

“Honestly,  we at NCAC appreciate Nigerian film makers for the efforts to use such narratives, not only to contribute to national cultural tourism rebirth and acceptation,  including its international cultural tourism value chain, but we must advise that a cultural sensitivity context and content analysis should be part of both production and post production ecosystem. Runsewe stated further.

The NCAC boss informed that a one day cultural conference, evaluating all areas of cultural tourism diversity and sensitivity, will hold before the end of this month in Abuja by the apex cultural agency.