Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, the commissioner for tourism, arts, and culture, voiced her displeasure over the Eyo Masquerade being portrayed as a villain with a pistol while wearing the complete traditional regalia in a statement on Wednesday.
"We believe that the film "The Gang of Lagos" was produced in a highly amateurish and deceptive manner, and that its insulting content was intended to insult the cherished cultural legacy of the Lagosian people. It is unfair to portray a group of people and their culture as evil and barbarous. It shows a band of murderers terrorising the State, according to the Commissioner's statement.
She insisted that the Adamu Orisha, also known as the Eyo Festival, is very occasionally observed and serves as a traditional rite of passage for renowned Chiefs, prominent Lagosians, and Obas. She also said that the Eyo Masquerade is also utilised as a mark of honour for noteworthy historical events.
She claims it represents a thorough regeneration, a ceremony of purification to bring about a fresh start, a beckoning of new light, and an acknowledgement of the bounties of Lagosians' ancestors.
Lagos prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu urged the immediate departure of the "Gangs of Lagos" in a previous response via statement.
Shodipe-Dosunmu referred to the film as an ugly, hate-filled caricature of the Lagosian history and added that it not only distorts the culture of the Lagosians but also labels them as murderers and criminals based on their ethnicity.
He urged the National Film and Video Censors Board and other appropriate authorities to outlaw the film and punish its promoters to the fullest extent possible.