Association of Emerging Artists berates ‘Gangs Of Lagos’ for depicting creatives as criminals

<p>The National Association of Emerging Artists (NAEA) has expressed displeasure with the promoters of the ‘Gangs of Lagos’ movie.</p>, <p>NAEA said it was disappointed with the portrayal of artists as “criminals” by the producer and director Kemi Akindoju and Jade Osiberu.</p>, <p>The group made this known in a statement recently released by its spokesperson, Unadey Jones.</p>, <p>The statement partly read, “Casting artists as criminals have harmed the pop cultural fabric of Nigeria and upholded harmful musician stereotypes.”</p>, <p>The director cast singers Chike, Pasuma, and Zlatan Ibile in gangster roles in the movie.</p>, <p>Chike, particularly, played the role of Ify, aka Panamo, a rising artist who was involved in gangsterism and was eventually killed by his gang members to cover up a secret.</p>, <p>Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has also described ‘Gangs of Lagos’ movie as a “cultural misrepresentation”.</p>, <p>The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, frowned at the promoters of the movie for depicting the Eyo Masquerade as a gun-wielding villain while adorning the full traditional regalia.</p>, <p>Earlier, the Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, the Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun, a cultural group, ordered the promoters of ‘Gangs of Lagos’ to withdraw the movie immediately, describing it as “ethnic profiling, sacrilegious and outrageous trash.”</p>