Introduction
In recent years, the film industry has undergone a significant transformation due to the rapid advancement of digital technology. This technology has enabled filmmakers to create and distribute their content in new and innovative ways.
However, the increased freedom and accessibility of digital technology have also raised concerns about censorship and the regulation of film content in Nigeria.
The advent of digital technology in the Nigerian film industry has revolutionized the film industry by making it easier and more affordable for filmmakers to produce and distribute their content. Thus, the invention of the “New Generation Filmmakers.” As Nigeria continues to augment her relevance as a top force in the global film market . The Nigerian film industry is currently experiencing significant structural transformation stimulated by the use of new technologies in its production, distribution and exhibition modes. The widespread use of digital cameras, editing software, and online platforms has enabled a new generation of filmmakers to enter the industry and create a diverse range of films. Some amongst the many digital film exhibition platforms currently operating in Nigeria are: Netflix, ShowMax, Iroko TV, Afrinolly inter alia. However, this increased freedom has also led to concerns about the regulation of film content in Nigeria.
On the 20th January, 2023, Netflix Nigeria released the much anticipated Nigerian action film, “Shanty Town.” The movie has since, become a healthy stick, chewed in the mouth of film lovers who had swamped on to the digital platform to enjoy the thrills served in the movie. A scene where the popular actress, Nancy Isime was stripped completely naked had since sparked reactions and counterreactions on all movie discussion and review platforms. Some perceive the nude scene as offensive and a corruption of public morals. While some others consider it as an advancement in the standard of Nigerian film production.
With the exhibition of Nigeria films on digital platforms, the Shanty Town nude scene is not the first and may not be the last of inclusion of nudity in Nigerian films. In a similar vein, the movie “Anikulapo” released by Netflix in September, 2022 was also greatly criticized for the needless explicit sex scenes. This, albeit, did not prevent the movie from ranking no 1 globally on Netflix, with over 8 million views in less than a week of release. Almost like that was, “Elesin Oba” released on Netflix, in the month of November, 2022. Just as nudity gets increased attention as a “horsekick on the country’s moral values” the clicks and views on these movies keep streaking in
Without an attempt to jump the fence on any side of the arguments, this work is intended to examine the difficulty heralded by digital platforms in the of censorship of Nigerian films.
Censorship of Nigerian Films.
Historical evaluation of entertainment in Nigeria reveals that, censorship of contents in the entertainment industry has been a big deal for as long as the entertainment industry has been in existence. The body primarily responsible for censorship of films in Nigeria is the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) which is an establishment of the National Film and Video Censors Board Act. The NFVCB was established to regulate the production of Nigerian films- such that they reflect Nigerian values and national interests.
Section 2 of the NFVCB Act is a significant provision of the Act, and it defines the responsibilities of the NFVCB in the film industry to wit:
i. To license a person to exhibit films and video works
ii. To license a person to distribute and or market films and video works
iii. To license a premises for the purposes of exhibiting films and video works
iv. To regulate and prescribe safety precautions to be observed in licensed premises.
v. To regulate and control cinematographic exhibitions and other functions necessary for the full discharge of all or any of the functions conferred on it by law.
vi. Register fish and video works
vii. Register licensed exhibition premises, video production, studios e.t.c.
viii. Register films and video distribution companies, exporters, importers
ix. Register videos clubs, shops, centres
x. Register professional exhibitors
xi. Keep records on video producers in Nigeria.
According to Section 30 of the Act, a film or video shall be deemed to be a Nigerian film or video work if, and only if , the producer of the film or video work was throughout the time during which the film or video was being made, either a Nigerian or a company registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
Thus the law requires that no person shall distribute or exhibit a film or video work unless it is registered with NFVCB and no person shall exhibit, cause or allow to be exhibited a film without a censorship certificate issued by the NFVCB.
Hence, simply, film and video censorship refers to a process whereby any film or video work either produced locally or imported is submitted to the censors NFVCB for registration, previewing, and examination prior to it’s categorization for public supply, distribution or exhibition. It entails the examination of the contents of a film or video work to determine the age group of the target audience based on the film’s possible or inherent psychological, sociological and moral impact among other factors.
Further the criteria used for censoring fish are contained in Section 36 of the Act including:
a. That the film does not promote blasphemy or obscenity nor depict any matter which is:
i. Indecent, obscene or likely to be injurious to (public or private) morality
ii. Likely to incite or encourage public disorder or crime or is undesirable on the public interest.
b. Does not encourage racial, religious and ethnic discrimination or conflict.
c. Has an educational or entertainment value, apart from promoting Nigerian culture, unity and interest.
d. Does not undermine national security
e. Does not induce or reinforce the corruption of private or public morality
f. Does not encourage or glorify violence
g. Does not expose the people of the African heritage to ridicule or contempt
h. Does not encourage illegal or criminal acts.
Pursuant to it’s powers, the NFVCB has made the National Film and Video Censors Board Regulations 2008 for the procedures for registering and classifying censored films.
Although, scarcely, the NFVCB has occasionally banned exhibition of movies which fail the censorship test. For instance, the action-comedy movie, “Sugar Rush” was banned in the year 2020 but the ban was quickly lifted within a short time. Also, the Board was reported to have censored over 2000 movies on the year 2020.
Due to the large size of the Nigerian film industry and a cautious move not to stifle creativity by the Board, the efficiency of the Board has often been called to question.
Notably, there are other censorship bodies similar to the NFVCB, including the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, Kano State Film and Censorship Board and many more at the state level.
Problem of Censorship in Nigeria:
The Nigerian film industry is heavily censored by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), which is responsible for approving films for public release. The NFVCB has strict guidelines and its tendency to censor films that it deems morally or culturally offensive. This has led to, many filmmakers self-censoring their work to avoid being banned by the NFVCB.
However, the Board has been criticized for not adequately censoring Nigerian films, with some arguing that this is to avoid stifling the creativity of the industry. This criticism suggests that the Board may not be effectively fulfilling its mandate to protect viewers from harmful content and to ensure that films and videos align with societal norms and values. It is important to note that censorship policies and their implementation can vary and it’s also possible that there might be some other factors influencing the board’s decision making.
The Impact of Digital Technology on Censorship:
Digital technology has enabled filmmakers to bypass traditional censorship by distributing their films online, bypassing the need for approval from the NFVCB. This has led to a proliferation of independent films that tackle controversial and sensitive topics that might otherwise be banned by the board. However, this has also led to concerns about the lack of regulation and oversight of online film content, which can potentially be harmful or offensive.
Since the digitalization of the Nigerian film industry, the “new media” has become founded as the fresh identity of the industry. Bit by bit, home videos are almost displaced and there is large appetite and demand for online movie streaming. This, by consequence has somewhat improved the standard and value input of the the film industry in the Nigerian economy. “King of Boys” raked in above 200 million naira while “Omo Ghetto” has the top grossing, rake in above 600 million naira.
Thus, the large analogue-digital migration in the Nigerian film industry has provoked more concerns about the challenge of censorship of Nigerian film contents. Also,, the absorbance of modernism in the Nigerian film content, significantly mirroring the Hollywood standard has widened the need for censorship as even the minimum African values are eroded under the disguise of keeping abreast with western civilisation.
According to Adelakun the digital innovation in the Nigerian film industry is what he tags “onlinewood” and he considers that ,onlinewood innovation is also considered a strategy to evade censorship whips. It appears that the anonymous nature of the online audience and the unrestricted access to social media lay siege to nailing and frowning at the offensive contents uploaded online.
The problem of censoring Nigerian films exhibited on online platforms may not be unconnected with the unavailability of advanced technology to negotiate, enforce and clamp down on default streaming companies who fail to comply with the censorship regulations. This is more difficult in view of the fact that the digitalization and new media is all about codes and encoding.
However, the foregoing argent may not be totally true, in view of the most controversial ban of Twitter in Nigeria. Although, not registered in Nigeria, Twitter was banned by the Nigerian government and strictly enforced for many months. It therefore, give credence to the fact that tools for clamp down may not necessarily be the problem. As, in the year 2021, the Federal Government hinted on new moves to introduce censorship laws and regulatory framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming services and content providers in Nigeria. This in fact was made known in a conference hosted by the NFVCB.
Further thoughts may show, perhaps, that the NFVCB has been soft with censorship enforcement because of the need to allow for competition in the industry and to maximize the economic potential of the film industry. The industry contributes a chunk of revenue for the country, thus, excessive or strict censorhip enforcement may affect the revenue generated. This is because, the digital streaming investors may find Nigerian film contents unattractive and below global standard.
Hence, for as long as the NFVCB and relevant stakeholders care about the multimillion revenue generated by the online streaming platforms, more films may continue to evade censorship and consequently, the nudity may come to be a standard in the Nigerian film industry.
Conclusion:
Digital technology has had a profound impact on the film industry, enabling filmmakers to create and distribute their content in new and innovative ways. However, the problem of censorship in Nigeria remains a significant issue, as many more movie producers and exhibitors may continue to produce and exhibit films that run foul against the censorship regulations.
The work discussed the impact of digital technology on the Nigerian film industry, specifically the ability of filmmakers to bypass traditional censorship by distributing their films online. This has led to a proliferation of independent films that tackle controversial and sensitive topics, but also raises concerns about the lack of regulation and oversight of online film content. The text also notes that the digitalization of the Nigerian film industry has led to a large appetite and demand for online movie streaming, and has improved the standard and value input of the industry in the Nigerian economy. It has also been noted that the digital innovation in the Nigerian film industry is also considered a strategy to evade censorship, and that the anonymous nature of the online audience and unrestricted access to the internet make it difficult to regulate offensive content.
This work suggested that the problem of censoring Nigerian films on online platforms may be due to the unavailability of advanced technology to negotiate, enforce and clamp down on default streaming companies who fail to comply with the censorship regulations. The text also suggest that the NFVCB might have been soft with censorship enforcement because of the need to allow for competition in the industry and to maximize the economic potential of the film industry, which contributes a chunk of revenue for the country.
Recommendations:
i. Increase efforts to regulate and oversee online film content in order to ensure that it is not harmful or offensive.
ii. Invest in advanced technology to negotiate, enforce, and clamp down on default streaming companies who fail to comply with censorship regulations.
iii. Introduce censorship laws and a regulatory framework for OTT streaming services and content providers in Nigeria.
iv. NFVCB and relevant stakeholders need to strike a balance between censorship enforcement and maximizing the economic potential of the film industry.
v. Develop a way for the Nigerian government to clamp down on offensive contents uploaded on the internet.
vi Encourage more films of good taste and standard that conform to the minimum African values.
vii. The government should consider introducing laws that will hold streaming companies accountable for the contents they upload.
The impact of digital technology on censorship is a complex issue that requires further research and discussion.
Olufowose Samuel