Finally, you can watch Half of a Yellow Sun

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has announced the approval of 77 movies for the month of June 2014, most prominent of which is Half of a Yellow Sun, rated “18”.

Fourteen other movies were approved alongside the film adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie’s award-winning book in the theatre exhibition category.

Other exhibition movies approved along with their classifications are Edge of Tomorrow (18), Tokarev(18), Maleficent (15), Vampire Academy (18), Blended (15), Dead Drop (18), 22 Jump Street (18), Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (18), Finding Fela (18), How to Train Your Dragon (18), Under the Skin (18), The Fault in our Stars (18), Million Dollar Arm (12) and Transformers: Age of Extinction (18).

NFVCB said all approved movies fulfilled the regulatory conditions stipulated by the NFVCB.

In the non-exhibition category meant for home audience, 62 movies were approved, 16 of which were in English Language, 25 in Yoruba, 19 in Hausa and 2 in Ibibio.

Only one of the 62 approved for home release, Bakan Dabo, a Hausa language movie, was rated “G” for General Viewing.

An Ibibio language movie, Minika, is the only production rated “12”.

Twenty-five movies were classified as “15” while 35 were classified “18”.

“For the movies classified “G” and “12”, there was no consumer advice while “15” rated movies had consumer advice on imitable technique, strong language, violence, and rituals,” acting head of corporate affairs, NFVCB, Caesar Kagho said.

“For those classified “18”, NFVCB issued the consumer advice on ritual, strong language, horrific visuals, and imitable technique.”

The refusal of the censors board to approve Half of a Yellow Sun over the last few months was the subject of discussions in the film industry, as the movie — starring Oscar nominee, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton — was scheduled to be premiered in Nigeria on April 25, 2014.

NFVCB had denied the movie certification, claiming that “certain aspects of the film have some unresolved issues, which have to be sorted out in accordance with the law and laid-down regulations”.

Disappointed, director of the movie, Biyi bandele, said that with or without the approval of the board, willing Nigerians would someway get to watch the movie.

“Whether or not the film eventually gets a ratings certificate in Nigeria, Half of a Yellow Sun will be seen by millions of Nigerians,” the revered director wrote, saying the question was whether they would be allowed to see it in their local cinemas and on legally acquired DVDs, or whether they would be forced to watch it on pirate DVDs and through illegal downloads.

In another development, NFVCB is set to burn N10m worth of “pornographic and unwholesome movies” seized within FCT and environs during targeted operations between January and June 2014.

“In the operations which covered Gwagwalada, Karu, Kubwa, Wuse market and Airport Road, more than 2,000,000 films were seized, 60 per cent of which were pornographic, while 40 per cent were uncensored, unwholesome and pirated,” the board said.