- Safiu Kehinde
A Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos has ordered Amazon Prime and producers of Gang of Lagos to apologize to the Isale Eko Descendants Union over misrepresentation of the iconic Eyo masquerade in the Nollywood movie.
The indigenous group had sued the movie’s production team led by Jade Osiberu over the portrayal of the Eyo masquerades as murders and assassins.
They also slammed the movie for its portrayal of Isale Eko as den of criminals.
The lawsuit had Attorney General of Lagos state, Lawal Pedro, Lagos State Film & Video Censors Board, Ms. Jadesola Osiberu, Ms. Kemi Lala Akindoju, Mr. Adesegun Adetoro, Demi Olubanwo, Mr, Olumide Soyombo, Mr. Bankole Wellington, Mrs. Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Mr. Kola Aina, Greoh Limited, and Amazon Web Services Ngeria Limited as the 1st to 12th Defendants respectively.
As contained in the suit, the indigenous group had demanded the outright ban of the movie and apology to Lagosians.
They had also demanded that the Lagos Attorney General and the state’s video censorship board to slam N10 billion fine on the movie producers and Amazon.
In the ruling given by the presiding judge, Justice Idowu Alakija, the court order the Gang of Lagos producers and Amazon to tender unreserved apology to the Isale Eko indigenes.
Amazon was also charged by the court to issue a letter of recognition admitting that the movie ‘Gang of Lagos’ had erroneously portrayed and disparaged the cultural heritage of the Eyo masquerade.
Reacting to the ruling in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chairman Isale Eko Descendants Union, Adeniji Kazeem, the group expressed satisfaction with the ruling.