Money Rituals: Jide Kosoko Carpets Critics of Nollywood

Nollywood act Jide Kosoko has carpeted persons heaping blame on the movie industry for the sudden rise in vices, especially among youths.

Following the surge of kidnappings and ritual killings across the country, there have been claims that Nollywood movies have in some way, influenced youths to perceive and accept it as an alternative means of making money.

The Federal Government had urged filmmakers to avoid money ritual contents in their movies.

This followed the recent confession of a money ritualist who said he learnt the act from social media.

Reacting to these claims, Kosoko in a recent interview with Channels TV, said: ”It’s a wrong accusation. A very wrong accusation. People should not forget that we have a responsibility to mirror society and this is not just by …we only try to mellow it with the entertainment.

“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.”

The 64-year-old thespian quizzed: “We have heard of politicians embezzling money here and there. Are you saying that they learnt embezzlement in our movies too? All those people display money here and there, on occasions, at various functions. Are we the ones that taught them that?

“In every production, we would never glorify evil. Whichever movie that idiot that says he watched a movie that made him 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 society and give it as it is. One of the things we do, we get them from the public. We try as much as possible to play down on them before dishing it out.”

Kosoko added: “So it is not right. We have our own duty to mirror society and give it as it is. One of the things we do, we get them from the public. 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 these negative youth thinkers.”