A Catholic priest, Fada Oluoma has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Nollywood actress Ini Edo’s movie Dirty Christmas, following calls by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the film to be pulled down over its title.
Recall that the actress had cried out online a couple of days ago after CAN threatened to pull down her movie, citing the title of her movie which supposedly demeans the Christian faith.
Catholic Priest speaks
Reacting to a viral video of Ini Edo appealing to CAN, the priest said it was appropriate for the Christian body to challenge content it considers offensive to the faith. However, he stressed that any action should be based on the actual content of the movie, not just its title.
According to him, since Ini Edo has maintained that the film does not ridicule or demean Christianity and has invited critics to point out any offensive scenes, CAN should first watch the movie and assess its message.
He argued that a film should not be sabotaged or destroyed solely because of its title, especially when significant resources have been invested in its production.
The priest also noted that decisions on whether a movie should be censored or withdrawn fall under the authority of Nigeria’s official film and censorship agencies, not religious organisations.
Fada Oluoma advises CAN
He advised that unless the movie violates national ethical or regulatory standards, it should be allowed to continue showing.
While commending CAN for defending Christianity, the priest criticised the association for what he described as silence on more serious issues affecting the faith, including alleged fake miracles, unverified prophecies, and the exploitation of worshippers by some church leaders.
He urged CAN to focus more on addressing these internal challenges, which he described as more damaging to Christianity than a movie title.
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