A Lagos High Court has ordered Amazon Web Services Nigeria Limited and the producers of the film Gangs of Lagos to issue a public apology to the Isale Eko Descendants Union (IDU) for misrepresenting the cultural heritage of the Isale Eko community.

Justice Idowu Alakija upheld a settlement agreement between IDU, Amazon, and 11 other defendants, including filmmakers Jade Osiberu, Kemi Lala Akindoju, and Bankole Wellington (Banky W). 

The court emphasized the importance of accurate cultural representation in creative works and warned against the societal harm caused by misleading portrayals.

The IDU had sued over the film’s depiction of the Eyo Masquerade as violent and Isale Eko as a crime-ridden area, arguing that such portrayals distorted reality and harmed the community’s image. 

The union stressed that the Eyo Masquerade is a revered cultural symbol of peace and tradition, not violence.

Justice Alakija directed the filmmakers and Amazon to acknowledge the concerns of the union and make their apology public. The ruling also called for stricter scrutiny of film content to prevent cultural misrepresentation.

Welcoming the judgment, IDU Chairman Adeniyi Kazeem, SAN, urged authorities to enforce stronger censorship regulations and encouraged filmmakers to engage Indigenous communities to ensure cultural accuracy and respect.