December 19, (THEWILL) – Members of the Governing Board of the National Films and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB), the government agency that regulates the film and video industry in Nigeria, are at loggerheads with the body’s Executive Director, Adedayo Thomas, over the latter’s alleged overbearing attitude and his insistence on getting rid of the governing board in order to be solely in charge of the agency.
There have been complaints about how Thomas runs the government agency like his personal company and how he unilaterally proclaimed the dissolution of the governing board, claiming that the Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed, allegedly told him to do away with the board.
No reason was given for this action by either Thomas or Mohammed. But Thomas still went ahead to dissolve the board without an official letter to that effect.
There have also been complaints of alleged financial misappropriation and embezzlement, as well as visits, arrests and interrogation of staff by anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.
Also, celebrated film maker, Tunde Kelani, reportedly resigned his position as the chairman of the agency when he could no longer condone the sharp practices being perpetuated in the agency. In his resignation letter, Kelani had blamed the contradictory structure of the NFVCB, which was set up in such a way as not to recognise its expected tasks, not to mention trying to fulfill it. He referred to the mentality of members of the body/board as having negative behavioral manifestations, which prompted him to resign as quickly as possible in order to preserve his name and reputation.
Matters, however, came to a head recently when members of the governing board, which had not sat for a meeting for over two years, contrary to the law that established it, were allegedly humiliated and denied access to the premises by security agents, comprising the police and the NSCDC operatives, hired by Thomas.
Miffed by his action, the administrative head of the board, Alhaji Abu Katcha allegedly decided to escalate the matter to the presidency, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chief of Staff to the President.
The board wondered what temerity the executive director had to prevent them from gaining access to a public property, stop them from meeting in over two years, prevent them from approving a budget, yet he allegedly spent over N6 billion without approval.
About the Author
