By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Honourable Justice Idowu Alakija of the Lagos High Court has ordered Amazon Web Services Nigeria Limited and the producers of the movie, ‘Gang of Lagos’, to tender an unreserved apology to the indigenous socio-cultural group, Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU), for misrepresenting the cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Isale Eko in the movie.
The judge also upheld the Terms of Settlement entered into by the indigenous socio-cultural group, IDU, and Amazon Web Services, along with 11 other defendants, as the judgment of the court.
In Suit No: LD/6903GCM/2023, the IDU had applied for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing the Attorney General of Lagos State and the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board to sanction the producer of the movie titled, ‘Gangs of Lagos’, for wrongfully depicting the Eyo Masquerade as a gang of murderers and the Isale Eko community as a den of criminals.
Justice Alakija granted leave for judicial review in an ex-parte application brought pursuant to Section 3 of the Cinematograph Law of Lagos State and Order 44 Rule 3 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules.
In a landmark ruling on Wednesday, the court held that the movie ‘Gang of Lagos’ erroneously portrayed the cultural heritage and traditions of the Isale Eko people and ordered an unreserved apology to be tendered to the applicants.
The court ordered the 3rd to 11th respondents (the film producers) to jointly issue a letter recognising the applicants’ position that the movie titled “Gangs of Lagos” erroneously portrayed and disparaged the cultural heritage of the well-respected Eyo Masquerade and the peace-loving nature and long-standing traditions of the Isale Eko people, and shall therein, tender an unreserved apology to the applicants – Isale Eko Descendants Union – in this regard.
It also ordered the 12th respondent (Amazon Web Services Nigeria Limited) to issue, on its letterhead, a letter recognising the applicants’ (Isale Eko Descendants Union) position that the movie titled “Gangs of Lagos” erroneously portrayed and disparaged the cultural heritage of the well-respected Eyo Masquerade and the peace-loving nature and long-standing traditions of the Isale Eko people, and shall therein, tender an unreserved apology to the applicants in this regard.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chairman of the IDU, Adeniyi Kazeem, SAN, expressed his pleasure that the union, through the court, was able to protect the inalienable cultural rights of Isale Eko indigenous communities.
He commended the court system and the Office of the Lagos State Attorney General for the positive role it played in resolving the dispute.
The statement read in part, “Today is a great day for the Isale-Eko Community of Lagos State, all indigenous Communities of Lagos and Lagosians generally. Today, the relatively small community of Isale – Eko in Lagos State was able to establish that along with other rights, there are inalienable cultural rights that accrue to indigenous communities that need to be vigorously protected. Indeed the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states, amongst other things, that the culture of indigenous people must be protected. That indigenous people have intellectual property rights in their culture and there can be no exploitation or usage of those rights without the express permission of the indigenous communities.
“We feel vindicated by this judgement and thank the Court system and the office of the Lagos State Attorney General for the positive role it played in resolving this dispute. However, we must state that the National and State Film censors must be more vigilant in the scrutiny of Films that are licensed for viewing either on physical screens or on digital platforms beaming into the Nigerian digital space.
“Furthermore, we assert that there are strong imperatives for Lagos State to revisit its Constitutional rights to properly oversee the production and censorship of Films utilizing its cultural material and resources. Finally, I thank our Royal Father Alaiyeluwa Oba Riliwanu Akiolu 1 (Oba of Lagos), our Legal team led by Mr. Supo Shasore SAN, the Isale Eko Descendants Union Trustees, Elders, Members, and all well-meaning Lagosians who gave both physical and spiritual support.”