- Veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani has condemned the unauthorised sharing of film clips, calling it piracy and intellectual property abuse
- He stressed that films are complete creative works and should not be fragmented for social media engagement or profit
- Kelani urged digital creators to respect copyright laws and use legitimate channels to support filmmakers
A Veteran Nigerian filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has criticised the unauthorised extraction and online sharing of short clips from his films, describing the practice as piracy and intellectual property abuse.
In a post on Facebook on Wednesday, February 25, Kelani reacted to the growing trend of bloggers and social media users cutting scenes from his movies and circulating them online without permission.
“This is WRONG! Cutting our films — Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, Ti Oluwa Nile, Thunderbolt: Magun — into unauthorised reels and posting them online is not promotion. It is piracy and the destruction of our cultural work,” he wrote.
He stressed that films are complete creative works and should not be reduced to fragments for social media engagement or profit.
“A film is a complete story, not fragments for quick views to make quick money illegally. This is stealing openly,” Kelani stated.
The filmmaker urged digital content creators to respect copyright laws and support creators through legitimate distribution channels.
“Please stop this practice and wickedness! Support creators by watching and sharing films through the proper channels. Let us protect, not diminish, our heritage. Stop this criminality,” he added.
His comments come amid rising concerns in the creative industry about the widespread reposting of film scenes on platforms such as X, Instagram, and TikTok, often without authorisation from rights holders.
Kelani, one of the country’s most celebrated directors, is known for culturally significant films and literary adaptations, including Koseegbe, Oleku, The Narrow Path, White Handkerchief, Maami, and Dazzling Mirage.