Isale Eko Union Secures Apology Over ‘Gangs of Lagos’

Outgoing Isale Eko Chairman Kazeem Adeniji says legal action over Gangs of Lagos ended with an apology to protect Lagos’ Eyo heritage.

According to report by Punch Newspaper, former Isale Eko Descendants’ Union Chairman, Kazeem Adeniji, says his group challenged the 2023 movie Gangs of Lagos over its portrayal of the Eyo masquerade.

When the film came out, Isale Eko indigenes said it disrespected the Eyo masquerade by showing it as killers and cast Isale Eko as a crime area. The union called it defamatory and sacrilegious, and pushed back through legal action.

On May 30, 2023, the union sued the Lagos Attorney General and the Lagos Film and Video Censors Board. That move led to talks with producers Greoh Limited and Amazon Prime, which ended with an apology and acceptance of the community’s concerns.

Adeniji said the fight was about protecting the pride, story and identity of Isale Eko, not just a movie. He described Eyo as one of Lagos’ most valued symbols and argued that the strong reaction proved the community still holds its heritage close. He added that lawful engagement worked better than conflict, and that cultural symbols should not be changed without respect.

He also warned that Lagos must grow without losing its past. “Cities will expand. Cultures should not vanish,” he said, urging residents to keep festivals, historic sites, languages and traditions alive even as the city modernises.

Adeniji is now stepping down and will not seek another term as he takes up the role of National President of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria. During his time, the union said it promoted unity through the Isale Eko Day Walk and festivals, backed water and health outreaches, and stayed active in Eyo and White Cap Chieftaincy events.

He told incoming leaders to serve with humility, protect tradition, and welcome new ideas, noting that they are only caretakers of an institution that will outlive them.

For Isale Eko, the clash over Gangs of Lagos showed that cultural identity is not negotiable, and defending it is about securing the future.

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