The Lagos government has chastised the producers and marketers of the film “Gangs of Lagos,” accusing it of ridiculing the city’s cultural heritage.
“Gangs of Lagos,” which was released on Amazon Prime Video on April 7, 2023, has since gone viral.
The Lagos Government stated on its website that the film “Gangs of Lagos” displayed a misrepresentation of the Lagos culture and also portrayed the culture of Lagos State in an unflattering manner.
The statement reads;
“A release signed by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the Ministry, being the regulatory body and custodian of the culture of Lagos State, views the film/series as a mockery of the Heritage of Lagos.
“The Commissioner expressed her disappointment with the promoters of the film, Jade Osiberu, and Kemi Akindoju, for portraying the Eyo Masquerade as a gun-wielding villain while adorning the full traditional regalia.”
“We are of the opinion that the production of the film ‘The Gang of Lagos’ is very unprofessional and misleading while its content is derogatory of our culture, with the intention to desecrate the revered heritage of the people of Lagos. It is an unjust profiling of a people and culture as being barbaric and nefarious. It depicts a gang of murderers rampaging across the State”.