Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos has given Amazon a 14-day ultimatum to remove the Eyo masquerade from the movie ‘Gangs of Lagos’.
The movie, which was directed by Jade Osiberu, was released to the pubic via Amazon’s Prime Video on April 7
‘Gangs of Lagos’ tells the story of a group of friends forced to navigate the hardship of growing up on the streets of Lagos.
The Eyo masquerade, unique to the Lagos neighbourhood of Isale Eko, has drawn criticism from the public for being portrayed in the movie as being worn by a group of murderers.
Irate indigenes have also questioned the film’s portrayal of Isale Eko as a den of criminals.
As a result, the Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU) filed a lawsuit against Amazon and the film’s producers. The union is demanding ₦10 billion in damages.
The Oba of Lagos, while wading in on the matter said the Eyo was illegally represented in the movie and as such damaged the reputation of the brand.