- The Kano State Censorship Board (KSCB) has revised its recent order revoking the licenses of all film practitioners in the state.
This followed the intervention of the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) which advised the board to renew practitioners’ licenses through professional guilds and associations that were affiliated with MOPPAN instead of outright revocation.
A press release issued by MOPPAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Al-Amin Ciroma, on Wednesday and made available to NEW CITIZEN, said the decision was arrived at when the National President of MOPPAN, Dr. Ahmed Sarari, paid a courtesy call on the Executive Secretary of the KSCB, Alhaji Abba El-Mustapha Inuwa, in order to congratulate him on his recent appointment and brief him on MOPPAN’s cardinal objectives.
The board’s decision had been greeted with mixed reaction, sparking criticisms from Hausa film practitioners while others welcomed it.
Ciroma said the during the visit, Dr Sarari informed El-Mustapha that MOPPAN was the only body recognised by the Federal Government in northern Nigeria through the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), pursuant to section 17(2) and (3) of the board’s regulation, 2008.
Sarari also said both the state and federal laws should work in harmony, and not in contradiction to one another.
He also reminded the board of section 84 of the KSCB laws which stated, “All technical production crews shall be registered members of a professional association recognised by Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN).”
He said it was in the best interest of the board not to revoke licences of the stakeholders in Kannywood as earlier stated, appealing to the KSCB to consider renewal of the licenses and other related matters instead, so as to foster workable and unending relationship with Kannywood players.
The association also advised the KSCB to, as a matter of its needs assessment, co-opt a special department – suggested as an industry support and development – in order to empower the stakeholders in the areas of distribution, capacity building and expose them to national and international best practices.
In his response, the El-Mustapha was reported to have expressed gratitude to the MOPPAN’s national leadership for its swift intervention and noted all the statements made by Sarari, saying his board was ready to partner with MOPPAN for the development of the film industry and beyond.
El-Mustapha added that his board had considered the renewal policy as appealed by MOPPAN.
He thanked the leadership of MOPPAN and assured that his doors would always be open for objective criticisms, contributions and understanding.
