‘Gangs of Lagos’: Lagos chiefs come hard on Jade Osiberu for ‘mockery of Lagos heritage’, want movie banned [VIDEO]

Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, (Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun) has expressed strong disapproval over the portrayal of the Lagos heritage in the newly released movie, ‘Gangs of Lagos’.

According to him, the movie is an ugly hate filled mockery of the Lagosian heritage.

He therefore called on the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, title chiefs and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to immediately intervene by banning the movie.

Shodipe-Dosunmu stated this in a statement on Wednesday titled ‘Lagosians are not gangsters’.

 

 

Meanwhile, the Akinsiku of Lagos, Chief Adebola Dosunmu has also called for the ban of the movie warning that the cast and producer of the movie should carry their cross if anything happens to them.

The chief emphasized that Eyo is not meant for movies or parties and there is a specific process to it. He also revealed that Lagosians are unhappy with the movie and will not tolerate it.

He said, “Lagosians are not happy with that movie, and we’re not going to take it and it’s unacceptable for our tradition and for our heritage.”

According to the traditional chief, Eyo is only meant to be staged for deceased kings or chiefs, or individuals who have contributed significantly to Lagos.

He explained that there are three types of Eyo, namely Osan, Oru, and Gbogbogbo and that Eyo Gbogbogbo, which is the general type, takes about three months of preparation.

In his words, he said, “Eyo Gbogbogbo means the general one, at least that will take us like three months for the preparation. So somebody will just go and bring the fila (hat) and put everything on and say they’re doing Eyo, no, it’s a taboo. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, if anything happens, you carry your cross.”

Chief Dosunmu warned that it is taboo for anyone to just decide to bring out Eyo without proper preparation, as there would be consequences for such actions.

 

Read Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu’s statement in full below:

Lagosians are not gangsters

There is a film presently being promoted by one Jade Osiberu and another character called Kemi Akindoju. The so called movie is an ugly, hate filled mockery of the Lagosian heritage.

In their reckless , disgusting distortion of the sacred illustration of the Lagosian culture the film makers reduced the Eyo masquerade into a gun toting killing machine, clothing their misfit actors in the full regalia of the Eyo and with the Aga depicting some Conclaves.

This is a total abomination. It is not only a distortion of our culture , it is a dark insidious profiling of our people as criminals and murderers rampaging across Lagos.

The Adamu Orisha is a treasured cleansing ritual, a sacred rite performed on the passage of an Oba or for their coronation. It is also used to honor distinguished Lagosians as their final rite of transition. Since Ejilu and Malakin , the brothers of Olori Olugbani first initiated the Eyo rite in celebration of Oba Ado Keme, the Adamu Orisha has become a sacred ancestral heritage celebrated with awe and deserving adoration.
It signifies a sweeping renewal, a purificational ritual to usher in a new beginning , a beckoning of new light, acknowledging the blessings of our ancestors.

To use the sacred Adamu Orisha Masquerade as an object of terror and loose criminality is to savage and despoil the Lagosian tradition. It is vile, evil, perverse; an utterly sadistic mangling of who we are as peace loving , accommodating and enlightened people.

We demand an immediate withdrawal of this sacrilegious and outrageous trash. We demand that the National Film and Video Censors Board and all appropriate authorities to ban this blatant mockery disguising as cinematography and impose the most punitive sanctions on the sponsors of this venomous ethnic profiling.

We also appeal to the Lagos state government, the Oba of Lagos Alayeluwa Oba Rilwan Akinolu, all the custodians of our tradition including the Alaworo of Adamu Orisha and Akinsiku Chief Ademola Dosunmu to rise up in protective defense of our tradition against the ravages of these agents of condemnable pollution of all that we cherish in this sacred soil of Oba Ado Keme. Ethnic profiling is recognized as a crime against humanity by the International Court of Justice. This provision can also be invoked against these sacrilegious hate baiters.

Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun

 

Quick brief about the movie Gangs of Lagos

NewsClick Nigeria reports that Gangs of Lagos is a Nigerian crime-action thriller produced and directed by Jade Osiberu. The thriller movie stars Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi, Iyabo Ojo, Demi Banwo, Chioma Akpotha, Zlatan Ibile, Bimbo Ademoye, Toyin Abraham, Yvonne Jegede, Yinka Quadri, Chike, Pasuma and a host of others. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on April 7, 2023, as the first Amazon Original Movie from Africa.

The movie revolves around a group of friends in Isale Eko area of Lagos, Nigeria whose lives has been revolving around crime and violence. Obalola, a very young boy with his friends stole a bag from a woman in traffic in Isale Eko and this act made him to be summoned by the ‘leader of the street’ who lauded his confidence and ability. Owing to his intellect and laudable courage, a gang leader in the street named ‘Nino’ (played by Tayo Faniran) soon showed interest in him and immediately became a father figure in Obalola’s life after Obalola left his mother to come stay with Nino. Nino however wants Obalola to go to school and become great in life as he ensured he stood by him as a father figure.

Unfortunately, things turned around when Nino died and all the dreams, he had for Obalola (played by Tobi Bakre) and his friends Ify (Played by Chike) and Gift (played by Adesua Etomi) went sideways as the trio began to work with Nino’s partner Kazeem (played by Olarotimi Fakunle) who is known to be a greedy and ruthless leader.

Things began to go sideways when Kazeem murders a gang member and pins it on Ify and this led to Ify’s gruesome murder, this murder grieved Oba and on seeking revenge got to know some other dark things that Kazeem had done, this then led to a bloodbath and bloodshed in Isale Eko in order to seek revenge on Kazeem.