Moral Decadence of Nigerian Youths: An Indictment of the National Film and Video Censors Board

Sight is one of the major senses in the body, little wonder blindness is considered one of the worst sicknesses. It is commonly said that a man becomes what he beholds. This underscores the importance of films, videos and cinemas in the lives of a people, as they are generally entertaining, educative, inspiring and relaxing. Expectedly, they have become part of daily reality. They mirror the issues of a society, creating awareness while in turn, influencing the society as audience commonly adopts characters and attitudes they see in movies.

Due to age and preoccupation, youths spend more time watching films, videos and cinemas, thus are the most influenced by them. This is evident in their way of life as they choose role models from among their favorite actors and actresses, copying their life styles and mannerisms like the way they walked in the popular films, dressed, danced and grew moustache. For instance, the current sagging, tattooing as well as moustache growing by our youths could be attributed to influence of films, videos and cinemas.

In recent times, most Nigerian films celebrate the rich, successful and powerful. There is clearly nothing wrong with this as every human being wants to be successful in life endeavors. However, the problem is that these rich, successful and powerful in our films do not get there as a result of sheer hard work but effortlessly through ritual killings and bloodshed. One may rightly argue that the film industry is just showcasing the current happenings in the society and educating young ones on how not to be victims. Nevertheless, the fact remains that these films influence our society as some youths see these things for the first time in these films which seduction is too much for them to ignore, thus they imbibe and practice them. It is no longer news that we have boys and girls of less than 18 years of age, whom the Nigerian Child’s Rights Act, define as children, taking part in ritual killings either for themselves or as agents of adults, in a bid to make quick money. This is unlike what obtained earlier where children were solely victims.

We blame the religious bodies, schools, homes and almost every other place for moral decadence of our youths. Rightly so because schools are where our children are molded academically and education without character is nonsense. Whether most teachers have what it takes to mold characters will not form part of the discussion here. Religious bodies share in the blame because Nigerians are very religious thus, most Nigerians see their religious leaders as assistant God and take their words as gospel. It therefore behooves on those leaders to talk sense into the heads of congregants as their actions could be traced to what they hear in places of worship. That most religions preach prosperity only is an open secret. Homes are culpable because life begins and ends at homes as parents are children’s first and lasting role models. More so, outside influences can always be contained at homes. It follows that when parents relegate their duties towards the children to others, they are invariably destroying their homes. Unfortunately for plausible and implausible reasons for this will not detain us here.

In all these, nobody beams the searchlight on the role of Film Censors Board especially as films are one of the biggest mediums of mass communication, having a large audience. When parents win the battle over external influences through schools and religious places, they many times expose these children to another imperceptible controlling influence through films and videos. Apparently, the bulk of the work here is beyond the jurisdiction of parents and rightly the responsibility of the government which it can discharge through enactment of Law or development of policy. Though both evidence political will in dealing with an issue, policies are usually akin to barking but not biting bull dogs, making laws better option.

Realizing the importance of films, videos and cinemas in Nigeria, it got the necessary attention through the enactment of National Film and Video Censors Board Act of 1993 which established the National Film and Video Censors Board to among other things, censor film and video works. It stipulated criteria for licensing film and video work which according to section 36 includes that it must:

· Have an educational or entertainment value devoid of obscene contents

· Promote the Nigerian culture, unity and interest

· Strengthen national security

· Discourage the corruption of private or public morality, religious or ethnic discrimination

· Demote the use of violence, illegal or criminal acts

Understandably, these criteria conform to the motto of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which according to section 15 of the Constitution is Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress and the national ethics of Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social, Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism.

Despite the foregoing, we are daily inundated with new films and videos that are not only obscene but promote corruption, violence and ethnic discrimination which abysmal effect on our society has become a source of worry. The whole thing questions the legacy we are bequeathing on our children. Apparently, this is one of the reasons the Act was enacted as laws are instruments developed by society to regulate human behavior according to its norms, enforced by the controlling authority. However, in the instant case one wonders what the controlling authority- the Censors Board considers Nigerian culture in permitting the crop of films Nigerians are presently bombarded with which clearly negate our constitutional norms. Is it a question of unwillingness or inability? Has it gone to sleep or is it too much for Nigerians to demand films that promote hard work, honesty, discipline, excellence and good governance? The Censors Board should not be allowed to reduce the Act to a mere barking Bull dog that cannot bite. Maybe, just maybe it is high time we censored the Censoring Board if we want our youths to tow the good path because people are what they watch.