Outgoing Chairman of the Isale Eko Descendants’ Union, Kazeem Adeniji, has said the union’s opposition to the portrayal of the Eyo Masquerade in the film, “Gangs of Lagos,” was driven by the need to defend the integrity of Lagos cultural heritage against misrepresentation.
The release of ‘Gangs of Lagos’ in 2023 sparked strong backlash from the Isale Eko descendants, who accused the producers of defamation and sacrilege over the portrayal of the Eyo masquerade as a gang of murderers and assassins, as well as the depiction of Isale Eko as a criminal enclave.
Adeniji said the union’s response led to legal action instituted on May 30, 2023, against the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, after which a settlement was reached with Greoh Limited and Amazon Prime, culminating in an apology and acknowledgement of concerns raised.
He said the intervention, which culminated in a formal apology from the producers of the film, was necessary to safeguard the dignity, history and cultural identity of the Isale Eko people for future generations.
Adeniji explained that the union’s stance formed part of a broader effort to ensure that indigenous cultural symbols are not distorted or misrepresented in public narratives.
