Lagos High Court Bans “Gangs of Lagos” Film Over Misrepresentation

A Lagos High Court has ordered Amazon Web Services Nigeria Limited and the producers of the film “Gangs of Lagos” to issue an unreserved apology to the Isale Eko Descendants Union for misrepresenting the cultural heritage of the Isale Eko community.

The court’s decision was made after the Isale Eko Descendants Union filed a lawsuit against Amazon Web Services and 11 other respondents, arguing that the movie portrayed the Eyo Masquerade as violent and Isale Eko as a crime-ridden area, which they claimed was misleading and damaging to the community’s reputation.

As part of the judgment, Justice Idowu Alakija mandated the defendants to formally acknowledge the concerns raised by the union and to make their apology public. The filmmakers and Amazon are expected to issue a joint letter recognizing the union’s stance and offering a formal apology.

The Isale Eko Descendants Union welcomed the judgment, with Chairman Adeniyi Kazeem, SAN, urging the relevant authorities to enforce stricter film censorship and regulatory measures to safeguard cultural traditions from inaccurate depictions.