Days after release, knocks, kudos trail ‘Gang of Lagos’ movie

A few weeks after the release of what has turned out to be a controversial movie, ‘Gang of Lagos’, there have been continued reactions across the country.

While many people have hailed the work done by the producers on the storyline in the movie, some stakeholders in the state, especially people of Lagos origin, took exception to the way the Eyo masquerade was portrayed in the movie. They also condemned the picture portrayed in the movie, saying it is against the culture and tradition of the state.

The movie, which dropped two weeks ago, clearly portrays the thuggery and violent lifestyle of some parts of Lagos, hitting close with Lagos politics and revealing the greater weight behind street power.

Expressing displeasure over the movie, Lagos State Government, through the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, described the movie as cultural misrepresentation. He stated that the ministry, being the regulatory body and custodian of the culture of Lagos State, viewed the film as a mockery of the Heritage of Lagos.

Similarly, Lagos Prince, Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, the Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun, a cultural group, ordered promoters to withdraw the movie immediately, describing it as “ethnic profiling, sacrilegious and outrageous trash.”

Also, the National Association of Emerging Artists, NAEA, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Unadey Jones, expressed its disappointment with the portrayal of artists as “criminals” by the director and producer Kemi Akindoju and Jade Osiberu.

Calling for calm over the uproar generated by the production of the Gang of Lagos film, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Olusegun Runsewe, in a statement on Friday, noted the need for strategic rethinking on related cultural narratives by filmmakers in Nigeria to avoid public resentments and reactions

Also, the Isale Eko Descendant’s Union, IDU, has sought for the withdrawal of the movie from public view