Film Maker Condemns Nollywood’s Degradation Of Traditional Religions

Nigerian film maker, Kunle Afolayan has lamented the degradation of traditional religions in Nigeria, during a recent chat with London, based broadcaster, DJ Abass.
According to him, the movie industry has propagated a lot of misconceptions about traditional religions in the country, most of which are either exagerations or falsehoods. He said “Nollywood has helped bring down Nigeriantraditional religionsin Nigeria. There are a lot of misconceptions through our films. The way our traditional religions are presented in our films is not proper.
“Most of the shrines and priests are misrepresented, even the chants are misused. On mentioning Babalawo (Yoruba traditional priest) everyone will run, but Babalawo wouldn’t see you and say you would die tomorrow (as portrayed in films”) he explained.
Afolayan who is a 44 year- old father of three made a distinction between two kinds of priests in the Yoruba tradition. “People need to understand the difference between the ‘onisegun’ and the ‘Adaunse,” we have misrepresentations in our traditional religions just as we we have them in Christianity and Islam”, he explained.
The film maker promised that he and others who still see the need to do the right thing would not relent in their efforts in propagating traditional religions.