Ace cinematographer, Tunde Kelani joined by famous actors, Adebayo Salami, Jide Kosoko, Tunji Bamishigbin, Yemi Sodimu, Yemi Solade and Kunle Afolayan amongst others to peacefully march against what they described as the menacing activities of pirates in Lagos on Monday.
Kunle Afolayan (second right) and other Nollywood actors.
It could be recalled that last week, Kunle Afolayan’s award winning movie, October 1 which is still showing in cinemas was pirated and sold in DVD on the streets and this has opened up new discussions on the piracy scourge in the industry.
Earlier, works of Kelani, namely, Arugba and Maami have been pirated, also, Ayo Makun’s 30 Days in Atlanta, Rita Dominic’s The Meeting, Mahmood Balogun’s Tango With Me among several others.
The protest march which took off from the garden under the flyover bridge at Ikeja Lagos and took the protesters through Awolowo Way to the Lagos State House Assembly where they were received by a member of the Assembly, Hon.
Mufutau Adewale Egberongbe who after listening to the protesters’ spokespersons - Kelani, Igwe Gabosky and Tunji Bamishigin, condemned the criminal actions of pirates whose nefarious activities he described as another kind of armed robbery.
The protesters not relented under the scorching sun, launched into several songs and dramatics while at the Office of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.
In his response to their demands, Fashola who was flanked by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba and the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji, saluted the protesters’ courage for not giving up.
He expressed his willingness to sit down with representatives of the industry to fashion out a bill that will be presented to the National Assembly towards getting a law that will bite and help stop the impunity of the pirates. He advised them to align with the media to help publicise their anti-piracy activities and enlighten the general public on why they must shun the influx of pirated copies in the market.
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