Nigerian thespian, Jide Kosoko in a recent interview session condemned the notion that Nollywood is responsible for promoting social vices in the country.
According to the veteran movie actor, the Nigerian movie industry does not support negative acts in the society or in the country, instead, they only unveil the heinous practices that are taking place for educational purposes.
In recent years, there have been claims that Nollywood movies have in one way or the other influenced Nigerian youths into thinking engaging in kidnappings and ritual killings can be seen as alternative sources of making money.
Responding to these claims, Kosoko in an interview with Channels TV, said;
“It’ a wrong accusation.
“A very wrong accusation.
“People should not forget that we have a responsibility to mirror the society and this not just by …we only try to mellow it with the entertainment.”
Speaking further, Kosoko stated that it was the duty of the Nigerian movie industry to enlighten and educate their viewers about the events of life.
He went to speak about how Nollywood movies also unveil the theft and embezzlement of money by corrupt politicians.
He continued:
“It is our duty to let you know what happens at the other end for it to guide you, for you to be informed so that you can be able to know what and what to do.
“We have heard of politicians embezzling money here and there. Are you saying that they learnt embezzlement in our movies too?
“All those people displaying money here and there, at occasions, at various functions. Are we the ones that taught them that?”
Kosoko maintained that Nollywood does not support evil, neither does it glorify evil or social vices; however they will continue to expose the nefarious activities in the country.
Kosoko continued:
“In every production we would never glorify evil.
Whichever movie that idiot that says he watched a movie that med him to be kidnapping, go and see that movie.
What is the end of that person that kidnapped people?
Why did he not learn from that and desist from going into the business of kidnapping rather than saying it is the movie.
So it is not right. We have our own duty to mirror the society and give it as it is. One of the things we do, we get them from the public.”
In the concluding part of the session, the leading Nollywood thespian mentioned that the Nigerian movie will begin to minimize the rate of infusing ritual killings, kidnapping and other vices into their production going further.
He spoke further:
“We try as much as possible to play down on them before dishing it out.
“I agree that the country is hot now and everybody should play down on whatever that can aggravate violence, not our industry alone.
“Politicians should stop displaying money everywhere that entices this negative youth thinkers.”