In a manner reminiscent of the furore generated by the 2023 movie Gangs of Lagos, several Badagry indigenes are fighting to stop the release of a film titled Badagry (I Bad I Gree).
In 2023, the Isale Eko Descendant Union, represented by its chairman, Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, filed a lawsuit alongside others who sued the producers of ‘Gangs of Lagos’ on behalf of their respective chieftaincy families.
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They argued that the movie desecrated Lagos’ cultural heritage by depicting the Eyo masquerade as a criminal gang involved in violent activities.
Others who kicked against the movie included the Lagos State Government’s Ministry of Tourism and the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.
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The traditional ruler described the movie as defamatory and sacrilegious for depicting the ‘Eyo’ as criminal gangs that commit grotesque murder and visit terror on innocent citizens.
‘Badagry’ (I Bad I Gree)
Like history repeating itself, another movie titled ‘Badagry’ (I Bad I Gree) will likely face a similar fate.
Not much is known about the movie except that it is scheduled for release on Friday. It is directed by Davison Izegaegbe and stars Alex Osifo, Yemi Blaq, Jude Orhorha, Nike Adams, Christian Alex, and Destiny Austine Omon, who is also the producer.
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A statement by television and film producer, Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin, posits that the yet-to-be-released movie maligns the image and dignity of one of Africa’s most historically precious pieces of land.
Mr Alabi-Hundeyin said that the yet-to-be-released movie maligns the image and dignity of one of Africa’s most historically precious pieces of land.
Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin shared the statement on his X page.
‘Dead on arrival’
According to a post on the producer’s Instagram page, the film’s title has been changed to ‘I Bad’.
He posted a redesigned film poster titled ‘I Bad’, captioning it: ” Title changed. We move.”
Describing the film as “dead on arrival,” Mr Alabi-Hudenyin, a veteran filmmaker, said he called Shaibu Husseini, the DG of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board, who confirmed that a group of nine people from Badagry had submitted a petition on the film title to his office.
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“I didn’t ask who they were, but whoever they were, I was proud of them as protectors of the Badagry image. The DG said he immediately contacted the producers, who claimed they named it so because it was shot in Badagry.
“The only way that film will ever get released in this country is if they change the title. The content is a crime story that has nothing to do with Badagry. The contribution of the children of Badagry to Nigeria’s creative and tourism culture is sometimes underestimated,” Mr Alabi-Hundeyin added.
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