“We have no plans to take down the video” — Falz
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has issued Falz a seven-day ultimatum to take down his video for “This is Nigeria” or face legal actions by the organization.
This is because the singer used Girls in Hijab to dance “secular” moves.
According to The Cable, the request was made in a press release by the group’s director, Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads:
“MURIC rejects Falz’ explanation that the girls in hijab in his ‘Shaku Shaku’ dance symbolize the Chibok girls because nothing in the video indicates that the girls represent the Chibok girls.
At least none of the Chibok girls have been seen dancing like a drunkard. They are always in pensive mood. Do they have any cause to be dancing? Are they happy?
The video manifests ethnic bias against Fulanis while it ignored the criminal activities of ethnic militia of the Middle Belt who have also massacred Fulanis and rustled their cattle in their thousands.
It is a hate video. This video has the potential of causing religious crisis of unprecedented dimension.
It is an assault on the self-dignity of every Muslim. It is freedom of expression gone haywire.
We therefore demand its withdrawal and an apology to Nigerian Muslims within seven days or the authors and their agents will face legal action if they fail to comply.
Only the scenes portraying police brutality and the money-swallowing snake in the video are near the truth.
We call the attention of security agencies to this hate action.
We remind Nigerians of the outcome of similar provocative actions in the past and their unpalatable outcomes.
The National Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB), a regulatory agency set up by Act No. 85 of 1993 to regulate films and the video industry has a case to answer. ‘Shaku Shaku’ video was shot and released under its watch.
Instead of going violent, Nigerian Muslims should take those behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video to court in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
We, therefore, give notice of impending legal action against the artist behind the ‘Shaku Shaku’ video unless the latter is withdrawn and an apology is widely published within seven days”.
Pulse immediately reached out to Falz’s manager, Femisoro Ajayi, who confirmed that he was aware of the statement by the Muslim group, but they have no plans to take down the video.
‘Yes, I have seen the statement online, but we have no official response yet, the video is out there and we have no plans to take it down, we will only respond when we get an official letter directly sent to us”, he says.
Released barely over a week ago, the video which has gathered over 3.9 Million YouTube views generated a frenzy online and continues to attract reactions, both from home and abroad.
Critics have strongly pointed to various scenes in the video that they felt failed to properly capture the magnitude of the regions or situations they were supposed to represent.
His representations of the Fulani herdsmen killings and the dancing Chibok girls, a group of students kidnapped from their schools by the dreaded Boko Haram group have earned him his some critcisms.
