The Coalition of Nigeria Entertainers (CNE), calls for the sack of Nigeria’s minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed immediately – The group also asks the information minister to revoke his statement that the FG was making plans to ban musicians and filmmakers from shooting films abroad – The president of the entertainment group says if the minister’s statement is not revoked in 7 days they will be forced to lead a nationwide protest The Coalition of Nigeria Entertainers (CNE), has called on the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to, sack the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed with immediate effect. NAIJ.com gathered that group is urging Osinbajo to sack the minister for a statement credited to him where he was quoted to have said music videos and films producers should stop producing abroad or that films produced outside Nigeria may be banned.
The minister was also given a seven days ultimatum to rescind his statement or they will be forced to lead a heavy nationwide protest against the federal government. Kenule Nwiya, the president of the entertainment group, said the information minister should stop making statements capable of affecting the industry negatively as well as causing crisis in the country. He said: “We the Coalition of Nigeria entertainers wish to inform the Acting President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that he should sack Lai Mohammed with immediate effect if the statement against Nigeria Entertainers is not withdrawn in less than 7days.” “We shall lead a nationwide protest to caution the government on the unhealthy decision which will undermine the international influence of Nigerian Music & Movie Content if the statement is not withdrawn and we also want the misfit Minister of Information to stop saying things that will cause crisis in our beloved country.” In a previous report by NAIJ.com, Alhaji Mohammed had tried to clarify his statement saying:had tried to clarify his statement saying: “I didn’t say that henceforth, all music videos and films will be produced in Nigeria, or that the production of music videos or films outside Nigeria will be banned.
All I said was that if a programme is designated as a Nigerian (local) content programme, we will amend the Code to ensure that it is produced in Nigeria. On that, there is no going back.” The minister also recalled how his office was bombarded with calls from concerned Nigerians when they found out that popular reality show Big Brother Naija was produced in South Africa. Read