The new Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Dr. Shaibu Husseini, has finally assumed office, with a call to the management and staff to cooperate with him to add more blocks to those already erected by his predecessor, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas.

The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on January 12, 2024, appointed Husseini, a notable journalist, film critic and culture administrator, as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NFVCB, apex regulatory agency for film and video works in Nigeria.

While commending the management and staff for their patience during the unusually long documentation process, which led to a delay in his resumption, the new Executive Director, who on the first day of resumption held a plethora of meetings, stressed the need for unity, teamwork and good interpersonal relationship among staff.

He noted that those were the ingredients required to move the Board forward. He noted that he has come to work and contribute his own quota so that by the time his successor comes he would continue with other aspects of the building process.

Assuring the staff that he would run an inclusive management system, the chief executive said, “I am an open book; I assure you I will carry everyone along. Incidentally, I have associated with the board as a journalist since its formal take off in 1994. So, I am home. Therefore, I expect that you all will treat me as a family member.”

He emphasised the need for professionalism, discipline and unity stating that division, camps and favouritism were counterproductive to the Board. The executive director conveyed to the meeting the decision of the Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union (RATTAWU) unit of the Board to hold an election and end the era of caretaker administration, which has bedeviled the Board for some time now.

The Director of Administration, Mr. Ferdinand Abua, who earlier welcomed the executive director to the Board, assured him of the support of the staff and management.

Meanwhile, top officials of the streaming entertainment platform, Netlix, were the first organisation to pay a courtesy call on the Executive Director. Led by Shola Sanni, Director of Public Policy, for Sub Saharan Africa, the team had fruitful discussion with executive director and the management of the Board.

The NFVCB boss expressed his appreciation for Netflix’s significant impact on the Nigerian film industry, applauding their efforts in elevating the standard of movie making, empowering filmmakers economically and in creating jobs

He particularly commended “Netflix’s support for quality control measures and their participation in NFVCB’s programmes such as the annual Digital Conference.”
He admitted that the collaboration has led to more consumer awareness and it enhanced Media literacy especially among practitioners and the different groups in the viewing ecosystem.

Husseini emphasised “NFVCB’s role in regulating the industry to ensure that content align with laws and does not abuse the sensibilities of the audience.”

He commended “the platform for their steadfastness in supporting the industry despite challenges and requested their continued assistance, especially in content classification and monitoring, particularly focusing on issues of morality and children’s viewing content.”

The executive director also mentioned plans to host a Nigerian film and video market and a production cum distribution laboratory aimed at providing access to our films and filmmakers and building capacity in the area of production and distribution. He also harped on plans to digitise the operations of the board, to which he sought Netflix’s support and collaboration

While responding, Sanni expressed Netflix’s objective understanding of the executive director’s vision, agenda and strategies for empowering filmmakers in the Nigerian film industry. She also highlighted their role in the industry and their commitment to support the Board in actualising its regulatory mandates.

She stated the unwavering commitment of Netflix to “promoting culture and helping Nigerians tell their stories.”

Highlighting their diverse content and their focus on ensuring that viewers can find what they are looking for on their platform, the NFVCB acknowledged the importance of parental control, self censorship and consumer awareness, noting that collaboration with NFVCB in these areas. Netflix pledged to support the Board’s future digitisation efforts, making programmes accessible and ensuring availability to the public. The Netflix team also expressed willingness to support in media literacy programmes.