NFVCB's Cowardly Capitulation: A Lame Excuse for Approving "A Very Dirty Christmas"

By Matthews Otalike, The Searchlight Correspondent / December 19, 2025

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has finally spoken on the outrage surrounding 'A Very Dirty Christmas', Ini Edo's Nollywood film that brazenly profanes the sacred Christmas season. Released in cinemas on December 16, 2025, smack in the heart of Advent, the movie's title alone is a calculated insult to millions of Nigerian Christians, especially Catholics, who hold December as a time of profound spiritual reverence for the birth of Jesus Christ.

The sharp condemnation by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria was spot-on: the title mocks the purity, peace, love, and redemption that Christmas represents by associating it with "dirtiness, a crude, sensational ploy for attention. Yet, instead of outright condemnation or withdrawal, the NFVCB's response is a spineless, bureaucratic dodge that exposes its failures as a gatekeeper of cultural and religious decency.

The Board's statement, issued by Executive Director Shaibu Husseini, begins with the predictable platitudes: "We hold religious sensitivity, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence as core considerations." It admits no formal complaint from CAN was received, conveniently ignoring the flood of public outcry on social media and in the press.

Then comes the deflection: the film was "approved and classified after undergoing the established censorship and classification process," with the title deemed "part of a fictional and creative expression." Not intended to disparage Christianity, they claim. This is the height of hypocrisy. If the NFVCB truly values religious harmony in a nation where faith is central to identity, how could it greenlight a title that so blatantly trivializes a holy season? The "context" excuse falls flat; the title stands alone on billboards, trailers, and posters, designed to shock and sell tickets.

The Board's initial approval appears to be a sign of negligence or deliberate indifference to Christian sensibilities. Worse still is the limp "action" proposed: they've "formally engaged the producers" and "requested a modification of the title" to avoid "offensive interpretations." Requested? Not mandated? In a country where the NFVCB wields the power under Section 39(1) of its Act to withdraw films for public interest reasons, this is toothless. Why not enforce a change, or better yet, suspend the exhibition until the title is rectified?

The Board's assurance of "continued engagement" and openness to dialogue feels like a stalling tactic, too little, too late, and utterly inadequate. This episode reveals a deeper rot in Nigeria's film regulation. The NFVCB routinely approves provocative content that offends religious communities, only to backpedal when backlash erupts. It prioritizes "creative freedom" over the dignity of sacred traditions, allowing Nollywood's pursuit of box-office buzz to trample on faith. In a diverse society like ours, where religious tensions can flare easily, such regulatory weakness is dangerous.

The NFVCB owes Nigerians more than mealy-mouthed apologies. It must:

• Immediately mandate a title change and reclassification.
• Apologize publicly for the initial approval.
• Strengthen guidelines to protect religious symbols and seasons from exploitation.

Until then, the Board's statement remains what it is: a lame, self-serving document that defends failure rather than faith. Christians and all who value cultural respect should demand accountability, not vague promises. Christmas is sacred; it deserves guardians who protect it, not bureaucrats who bend to controversy only when forced.