Actors’ creativity not tied to religion — Lawyers

Entertainment lawyers have said that actors have the creative liberty to express themselves and tell stories as they deem fit.

They noted that the actors could function independently of any religious bearing and should not be sanctioned by any religion.

They made this known on the heels of the outrage that followed a movie poster shared by Nancy Isime on Thursday.

The poster depicts two women wearing black burqa while wielding guns and a man wearing a balaclava and holding two men hostage in a bank heist.

In another photo, Isime was wearing a hijab while posing with a gun.

However, the poster was met with heavy criticism by some religious people who believed that she was desecrating Islam and portraying it in a bad light.

Following the post, an Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern, called for the ban of the yet-to-be-released film.

MURIC added that the movie was satanic, adding that it took Islamophobia to the highest level.

In a statement, the executive director of MURIC, Ishaq Akintola, urged the National Film and Video Censors Board to take swift action against the film.

He added, “It aims to portray Muslim women as criminals, potentially inciting violence and discrimination against them.”

However, entertainment lawyers disagree with the stand of MURIC declaring that actors had creative licences and it was not dependent on any religion.

Olumide Sonupe, the principal partner of Sonupe Law Firm stated that because we live in a secular country, actors have creative liberty.

He added that the religious morality of any religion is different from what is obtainable in the law.

He said, “It is funny because morality and the law are so confused and put together in such a way that it creates confusion.

“When we are talking about morality, the morality of the Islamic religion and their belief is very distinct from what the law says. Being a secular society, some people are not religious and that doesn’t stop them from doing things that might be against the morals of any religion. The only thing you can do to such a person is to tell them they are banished from the religious society.”

“If they are acting out a moving that portrays Islam in a bad light, the worst you can do is to tell the followers not to watch the movie. It is called acting, it is not the reality of things. It may be the reality of things.”

Interpreting this section, he noted that the movie is not an insult to any religion in his opinion. “To me, I don’t find that act inciting. That is the reality of what is happening in Nigeria.”

Another entertainment lawyer, Femi Njoku noted that movies mirror what happens in society.

Meanwhile, the National Film and Video Censors Board intervened in the situation.

In a statement by its Director General, Shaibu Husseini late Thursday said contact had been made with the producers to address the contentious issue with the producers.