The National Institute for Cultural Orientation has called on movie producers in Nigeria to further uphold use of indigenous attire in locally-produced films.

The institute’s Executive Secretary, Biodun Ajiboye, in a statement through his media aide, Caleb Nor, said doing so would give the nation a positive cultural identity.

According to him, films serve as channels for young people to choose role models from actors; they also remain potent instruments of behavioural modification and veritable tools for value reorientation of the citizens.

“There is a need for us to build a cultural identity for Nigeria and in doing so, we must start from our dressing and once that is done, we can be assured that we are on the pathway of creating a national identity that will distinguish us as a people. I am calling on all movie producers in Nigeria to incorporate a substantive content of our dress culture while producing films and make cultural dressing as a dress code for people coming for movie premieres as a way of promoting our culture,” he said.

Mr Ajiboye noted that Nigeria needed positive global attention.

He said if Nigeria’s indigenous dresses were showcased and given priority attention in the conduct and content of locally-produced movies, it would go a long way in heightening the nation’s international cultural diplomacy objectives.

NICO had earlier called on the management of the National Film and Video Censors Board which is the federal government’s regulator for films and other video works, to ensure the inclusion of at least 20 per cent of cultural content in all films produced in the country. 

(NAN)