Fellow Nigerians,

I have seen the movie District 9, followed commentaries around the web, and read some of the writer and director Neil Blomkamp's interview. I find nothing convincing to dissuade my feeling of a delibrate, at best unflattering, but actually dangerous portrayal of our nation.

I have posted an online petition against these aspects of the movie. I 'll be happy to discuss my deconstruction of this movie in a separate post. However, the current post is to invite the 1000s of Nigerians on this forum to sign this petition. We need to start dealing with this serious and dangerous trend in the treatment of Nigerians around the world. The petition can be read and signed at (the text is also posted below):

http://www.petitiononline.com/ddd2009/petition.html

or go directly to the signature page:

http://www.petitiononline.com/ddd2009/petition-sign.html

Thanks very much.

naijamini

***************************************************

To:  Sony Pictures Entertainment Global Communications
Michael Lynton
Sony Pictures Entertainment Global Communications
10202 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, California 90232
Press Line: 310-244-7737
press@spe.sony.com

Dear Mr. Lynton, Neil Blomkamp and Peter Jackson,

I write you as a Nigerian about the direct reference in District 9 to a group of thugs, mercenaries, alien-mating prostitutes, witchcraft practitioners, and cannibals BY MY COUNTRY'S NAME, and to their leader by the name of our immediate past president. I wish to strongly urge you to mitigate the damage and potential harm that could come to Nigerians everywhere from your denigration of our entire nation in your recent movie. At a population of about 150 million, NIGERIA IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST NATION OF BLACK PEOPLE.

There is enough caricature of Nigerian citizens floating around without having to deal with mass dissemination of these patently false information through the cinema. It is not far-fetched to say that cinema represents a powerful medium, and has become one of the main means of information and cultural transformation in this age. Simply said, people take messages from these movies, especially if those messages are about people they love to hate. I am convinced that the message-relating potential of cinema is one reason why Mr. Blomkamp made District 9. Unfortunately, the message about Nigerians is not only unpalatable, it is untrue and most of all RACIST. This is completely different from the more familiar Italian Mafia or Russian mobs in many movies. Your depiction of Nigerians in District 9 concerned deeply personal character, belief and culture of an entire nation. I have read various articles about the movie, and Mr. Blomkamp's interviews in an effort to understand this treatment of my nation. A deconstruction of the movie shows that it relied on double-speak in almost all its aspects, but I will not attempt to present my views in great detail here.

The point of this letter is that District 9 depicted almost all its characters in both BAD AND GOOD LIGHT, EXCEPT for the NIGERIANS.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but these are the facts that stuck with me as I walked out of the theatre: (1) The only group of REAL WORLD people REPEATEDLY referred to in District 9 by their REAL COUNTRY were the Nigerians; (2) The NIGERIANS were also the only group in District 9 with NO GOOD SIDE to their actions. They were simply bad, beyond redemption. It is not just that this group of thugs were portrayed as Nigerians, but gory scenes of their acts were repeated again and again, and firmly tied to NIGERIA.

The deliberateness involved in portraying Nigerians this way in District 9 is all too clear, especially in a movie that relied on so much double-speak it's message is at best befuddled. In fact, Mr. Blomkamp says in one interview that: "It wouldn't be clear whether or not I actually had a message, but rather that all of these themes that interest me are being presented to the audience, and you can make up your own mind and you can view this hopefully in a somewhat honest environment." (see http://www.cinematical.com/2009/08/14/interview-district-9-director-neill-blomkamp/). Mr. Blomkamp asks the viewer to make "up your own mind". Perhaps this is true for all the other scenes, but the scenes tagged "Nigerians" were directly spoon-fed to the viewer, with nothing left to the imagination. Am I to understand that this is all that interests Mr. Blomkamp about Nigerians?

It is baffling that such RACIST scenes are presented in a movie intended to teach lessons about the "redemption" of an "indirect racist". I would like to ask Mr. Blomkamp to examine his heart and ask what lesson a Nigerian is supposed to take away from his movie. I am sure he will have no difficulty in concluding that this mass generalization of falsehood is a great damage to the soul of those concerned.

Please reply and let me know what you intend to do to mitigate further damage to the Nigerian nation from your movie. On the latter, I would suggest: (1) Editing out the offensive lines before your movie goes to video and TV; (2) Issue an apology, and a disclaimer to movie and news outlets, expressing regrets about this unfortunate aspect of the movie.



Sincerely,

The Undersigned

What the phuck to do you expect the depictions of Nigerians to be in a movie, given that in the real Nigeria, human sacrifice is rampant, the entire country has been ruled for decades by kleptomaniacs, there is NEVER any electricity because all the money allocated for its production is comprehensively looted by government officials both high and low, the police regularly murder people to steal their money, large gangs of bandits take over entire residential districts for hours of plunder, rape and homicide, the phucking roads make the lunar surface appear smooth by comparison, bribes are taken at every turn and for all activities besides inhaling that nation's foul, polluted air, and trash mountains the size of the Matterhorn rise from city streets  ?

I ask again, poster,  even as we try to ignore the justly-earned reputation of Nigerin citizens as the world's most relentless and prolific internet fraud practitioners,  what the phuck do you expect the depictions of Nigeria to be, when the reality of that country and the majority of those who attain any measure of power there are so utterly and irredeemably squalid ?

let me know when you go begin petition naija government to stop corruption and begin eliminate the kain nonsense wey allow the depiction inside the movie to transpire in the first place.

i nor know oh  

abeg jakumo told dem!

yeye! shior yakata!  

petition koo! compensation ni!   _{*farts on thread!*}

rubbish

This is a serious allegation. I particulary feel terribly bad about this movie. Despite the fact that we are suffering from bad leadership and caricature of a society, it doesn't mean that we should be subject of ridicule. The movie, if released, with its negative depiction of Nigeria, will go further to destroy our image. Imagine, the already battered image we have. Our present leaders are not us. They will die and we will have other leaders. Nigeria is not for a particular people but for 150million people. If very few people are corrupt, then why depict the image of the rest as barbaric.

I am particulary saddened. This is because my son and daughter will grow up in a society that already have a negative image of them.

Can anyone tell me what is the relationship between Sony Entertainment and the Sony that aired the PS3 commercial?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with making a movie that depicts certain cultures as they really are. We don't hear the Italians complaining and gathering petitions each time a Mafia themed movie is released, so it is high time Nigerians let those delusions of righteousness and grandeur go for good.

If you can't stand being a Nigerian, then get a phucking Congolese passport and stop stealing, if you currently do.

Jakumo:

If you can't stand being a Nigerian, then get a phucking Congolese passport and stop stealing, if you currently do.

oboy, u get work o

n how do nigerians themselves portray nigeria in their own nollywood movies? osuofia in london? dat "i go chop ur dollar movie?? ritualist corruption n so on

my broda charity begins at home so as u get so much work on ur hand as depicted by ur letter n concerns(?) about the image of our holier than thou country, why dont u start by petitining nollywood, a fast growing movie industry across the africa, to start portraying nigerians as saints n nuns? nonsense

@Jakumo

I am willing to engage you and others in this forum on how we address the myriad of problems that confront Nigerians both home and abroad. One thing is sure however, you cannot call a place your home and continue to use it as a shit-house yourself. This is how I see the response by many to project Nigeria's dignity in any form in this forum. It seems as if some of you simply exist to put Nigeria down. You seem incapable of distinguishing between bad leaders, criminal elements and the generality of Nigerians.

If you are indeed a Nigerian and you don't get the implications of what movies like District 9 is doing, here it is again. It is not just that they depict some Nigerians as thugs and other things. It is the fact that they simply label them Nigerians. This is particularly troubling coming from descendants of people who committed the most egregious acts against black people in the history of mankind. Basically, they are saying that YOUR sisters, if you have any, and all the women you ever knew are prostitutes. That YOU Jakumo are essentially a thug and a cannibal, and you have no hope of redemption. Is this what you are? That is not what I am and my sisters and all the women in my life are decent people.

Again it is not just that certain actions are attributed to Nigerians, it is the depraved personal level of character and culture depicted in the movie. I am sure you know how messages are communicated in movies. The Italian Mafia and Russian mobs are always shown to maintain a high level of dignity and family honor, even as they murder and steal - the personal character and culture of the people are not assaulted because of this Scarface is more of an hero than a villain that he really is.

Please rethink how you see Nigeria and ask yourself if your approach is making a difference for good or adding to the problem.

Besides I don't know what you mean by "human sacrifice is rampant". Are you kidding me?

Thank you.

naijamini

Jakumo:

What the phuck to do you expect the depictions of Nigerians to be in a movie, given that in the real Nigeria, human sacrifice is rampant, the entire country has been ruled for decades by kleptomaniacs, there is NEVER any electricity because all the money allocated for its production is comprehensively looted by government officials both high and low, the police regularly murder people to steal their money, large gangs of bandits take over entire residential districts for hours of plunder, rape and homicide, the phucking roads make the lunar surface appear smooth by comparison, bribes are taken at every turn and for all activities besides inhaling that nation's foul, polluted air, and trash mountains the size of the Matterhorn rise from city streets  ?

I ask again, poster,  even as we try to ignore the justly-earned reputation of Nigerin citizens as the world's most relentless and prolific internet fraud practitioners,  what the phuck do you expect the depictions of Nigeria to be, when the reality of that country and the majority of those who attain any measure of power there are so utterly and irredeemably squalid ?

@udezue

You say rubbish.

I am sorry that you cannot see the connection between how District 9 could turn your comfortable living in TX upside down. A couple of days ago I watched a documentary about the treatment of Nigerians in South African from this site http://www.viewnaija.com/site/. I cannot locate the video at this time. A fact mentioned in that movie is that most of the Nigerians that undergo this treatment in South Africa are Igbos. I point this out because you had the Biafran label on your post. In fact the movie showed the brave efforts of the Nigerians to organize and protect themselves, because as it turns out Nigerians are being specifically targeted, robbed and extorted by the police, even when they are involved in no criminal activity.

And you response to a protest over this treatment is RUBBISH? Why?

What I am trying to say is that Nigeria is not made up of imaginary people, but individuals, households, ethnic groups, and these are the real people affected by the depravity in District 9.

Please rethink how you approach the Nigerian issue. Yorubas would say that "the head cannot be so underserving as to loose its cap to the navel".

udezue:

rubbish

@Mudley313 and babapupa

Yes, we have to tackle this problem everywhere. I have lately being appalled at Nigerian movies bought here in the USA. Don't get me wrong a few have been quite enjoyable, but many are just senseless and meaningless, and a damage to Nigeria. I guess you could say it took a direct attack like District 9 for me to decide to do something, no matter how small - and this would not be the end of action. However, one person does not a forest make - we need to join hands.

I encourage you to sign the petition.

Thank you.

naijamini

Mudley313:

oboy, u get work o

n how do nigerians themselves portray nigeria in their own nollywood movies? osuofia in london? dat "i go chop your dollar movie?? ritualist corruption n so on

my broda charity begins at home so as u get so much work on your hand as depicted by your letter n concerns(?) about the image of our holier than thou country, why dont u start by petitining nollywood, a fast growing movie industry across the africa, to start portraying nigerians as saints n nuns? nonsense

babapupa:

let me know when you go begin petition naija government to stop corruption and begin eliminate the kain nonsense wey allow the depiction inside the movie to transpire in the first place.

@Tsiya

Thank you. Please endeavor to sign the petition.

naijamini

Tsiya:

This is a serious allegation. I particulary feel terribly bad about this movie. Despite the fact that we are suffering from bad leadership and caricature of a society, it doesn't mean that we should be subject of ridicule. The movie, if released, with its negative depiction of Nigeria, will go further to destroy our image. Imagine, the already battered image we have. Our present leaders are not us. They will die and we will have other leaders. Nigeria is not for a particular people but for 150million people. If very few people are corrupt, then why depict the image of the rest as barbaric.

I am particulary saddened. This is because my son and daughter will grow up in a society that already have a negative image of them.

Can anyone tell me what is the relationship between Sony Entertainment and the Sony that aired the PS3 commercial?

@naijamini

thanks so much for your post some peeps just like being irrationally negative for the sake of it. your initial post never claimed nigeria doesn't have problems but like u said that's no excuse to ridicule a whole country. will do my 2 kobos. keep it up

I don't see anything wrong with the movie.

naijamini:

Besides I don't know what you mean by "human sacrifice is rampant". Are you kidding me?

naijamini

No sir, I am most assuredly NOT joking when I describe the decades-old EPIDEMIC of ritual murder in Nigeria as more than qualifying to be termed a rampant phenomenon.   You  have evidently chosen to remain blissfully unaware that there are indeed human meat departments in Jankara Market in Lagos, in Ibadan's Ogunpa Market, and perhaps most famously of all,  in the home-made fire-arms market of Ob'Anang in Calabar.  Buyers need only utter the code-word for human body parts in any of those markets, and a generous SELECTION of both fresh and smoke-dried human body parts will be presented for inspection and no-questions-asked purchase.

Those WELL KNOWN Nigerian human parts retailers represent the public face of a VAST underground network of kidnappers, murderers, grave robbers and mortuary attendants, all engaged full-time in the endeavor of processing human beings into merchandise for fetish believers, who seek to either eat human flesh, or utilize human organs as the ingredients for  always futile sacrificial procedures purported to generate free cash out of thin air and cadavers.

While I certainly respect your optimistic preference that these horrible Nigerian realities, and myriad others, be assigned the status of  "national secrets", reserved for hushed discussion amongst PATRIOTIC Nigerians and their well wishers, I will only add that such horrific practices, when so common as to become an inextricable part of any culture, CANNOT stay hidden forever.

It is amazing that most Nigerians don't give a f*ck.Nigeria is on the brink of collapse.

Jakumo:

While I certainly respect your optimistic preference that these horrible Nigerian realities, and myriad others, be assigned the status of  "national secrets", reserved for hushed discussion amongst PATRIOTIC Nigerians and their well wishers, I will only add that such horrific practices, when so common as to become an inextricable part of any culture, CANNOT stay hidden forever.

Roflmao!!!

@Jakumo,

I agree with you that we cannot make these things secrets, but at the same time we need to be careful to avoid over-generalizations. People are looking to burn us, and we cannot to be greasing ourselves as they prepare to light the fire.

Even if these things happen, it is not rampant (i.e. not holding full sway, common knowledge etc.) as I have not come across it in my entire life in Nigeria. Your description shows that this is underground activity that a competent police force would be doing all it can to put down each day. Reminds you of the recently broken up ring in New Jersey where a Rabbi was the linchpin for a kidney stealing and trafficing underground network with connections to Israel. Nobody in their right mind thinks this behavior is American or Israeli culture, and the same should apply to Nigeria.

My problem is that we so easily translate evidence of abhorrent behavior in Nigeria into a guilty verdict on every Nigerian. This is the attitude of individuals who see no good in us. An American once, without any indication that he is aware of the inappropriateness of his impending question, asked me if it was true that Nigerians are promiscuous. This is the same country whose president was caught doing it with an intern in the Presidential Mansion, ala Abacha, yet remains one of the best presidents ever. Not that I don't like Clinton, I do because he did his job, but the point is the double standard that we face from foreigners. Be that as it may, we cannot afford to join them in such generalizations.

We need to chart a middle-way to approaching the Nigerian problem. Neither accepting bad behavior, nor presenting gifts to our detractors.

Thank you

naijamini

Jakumo:

No sir, I am most assuredly NOT joking when I describe the decades-old EPIDEMIC of ritual murder in Nigeria as more than qualifying to be termed a rampant phenomenon.   You  have evidently chosen to remain blissfully unaware that there are indeed human meat departments in Jankara Market in Lagos, in Ibadan's Ogunpa Market, and perhaps most famously of all,  in the home-made fire-arms market of Ob'Anang in Calabar.  Buyers need only utter the code-word for human body parts in any of those markets, and a generous SELECTION of both fresh and smoke-dried human body parts will be presented for inspection and no-questions-asked purchase.

Those WELL KNOWN Nigerian human parts retailers represent the public face of a VAST underground network of kidnappers, murderers, grave robbers and mortuary attendants, all engaged full-time in the endeavor of processing human beings into merchandise for fetish believers, who seek to either eat human flesh, or utilize human organs as the ingredients for  always futile sacrificial procedures purported to generate free cash out of thin air and cadavers.

While I certainly respect your optimistic preference that these horrible Nigerian realities, and myriad others, be assigned the status of  "national secrets", reserved for hushed discussion amongst PATRIOTIC Nigerians and their well wishers, I will only add that such horrific practices, when so common as to become an inextricable part of any culture, CANNOT stay hidden forever.

naijamini , you are not serious. Nigerian would never sign your petition, because you do not need a white man to tell you how nigerian feel about thier leader.

Nigerian  see thier leaders as arm robbers. So why do you think they would sign a petition just because a film say so. And the film did not say Olusegun Obasanjo. Dora Akunyili is just trying to score cheap point with Obasanjo.

I can tell you this Obasanjo does not care about the film. Obasanjo does not care about things like this.  And nigerian do not care about the film. People are feed up with dora akunyili at the moment. I would not shock if she is not the first to get fired.


If you put a petition online for Dora to get fired, you would shock how many hits and signature that you would get.

A cannibal is an animal that feeds on its own kind.

I posted some images to prove that we cannibalise each other, unfortunately they were deleted by the forum bot.
We live in a country were the rich steal remorselessly from the poor, the govt repeatedly bombs its own citizens, it is difficult to distinguish between police and armed robbers; thieves who are known worldwide are the powers in Aso rock

Is Nigeria a cannibal? Do we really think others can't see us we truly are?

lets face our own wahala and leave the rest of the world to theirs. all this bring up Rabbi this, America also that doesnt justify our own reality.

naijanimi,

I understand your grief and I infact share it. I am a Nigerian and will continue to be one and I know I am not a fraudster neither am I a cannibal and I will do all I can to let as many people know that! I know millions of Nigerians both home and abroad who work hard to make a name for themselves and put food on the table for themselves and their families. The constant barrage by outfits like SONY whose only preoccupation these days seems to be to mallign Nigeria and Nigerians is totally uncalled for.

We joined hands to do something about the PS3 ad and we did not let voices of opposition deter us. Those of us who can and who want will fight this also. With God on our side, again we will prevail.

@Beaf

A metaphorical cannibal is not the same thing as a literal canibal. Are you accepting that you are a cannibal? That is what your questions: "Is Nigeria a cannibal? Do we really think others can't see us we truly are?" imply.

The over-generalization, and some Nigerians easy acceptance of it, is the issue. This prevents well-meaning Nigerians from doing anything about what is wrong in the society since we are condemned to hell, without redemption. It also allows those who perpetrate these acts to continue without impunity since in their eyes and the eyes of those supposed to know better, everyone is doing it too.

I hope you see my point.

naijamini

Beaf:

A cannibal is an animal that feeds on its own kind.

I posted some images to prove that we cannibalise each other, unfortunately they were deleted by the forum bot.
We live in a country were the rich steal remorselessly from the poor, the govt repeatedly bombs its own citizens, it is difficult to distinguish between police and armed robbers; thieves who are known worldwide are the powers in Aso rock

Is Nigeria a cannibal? Do we really think others can't see us we truly are?

@must_a_far

Please re-read my post again.

It is not justifying any of our own reality, it is against the reality of double-standards.

Why couldn't Neil Blomkamp, a descendant of those who committed the most egregious crime against black people under apartheid South Africa, devote his movie to a true catharsis over that great crime if indeed his movie was about racism as he claimed? Why does he have to bring Nigerians into this movie? Does it perhaps have something to do with the role Nigeria played over the years to finally help defeat apartheid? If you can provide me with answers to that then you would be justified, otherwise please try to re-read my post for what it is really saying.

Thank you.

naijamini

must_a_far:

lets face our own wahala and leave the rest of the world to theirs. all this bring up Rabbi this, America also that doesnt justify our own reality.

My brother, I feel your passion but there is no smoke without fire. We created the fire, and they are now blowing the smoke in our eyes. If we want to do anything about the way the world stereotypes Nigeria, then let us start from home. How do we stereotype our own fellow Nigerians? We don't even have to go too far - Just click on the "Culture" section of Nairaland to see how many posts are dedicated to "Tribe A is better than Tribe B, because Tribe B girls are dirty, ugly and Tribe A people are very fraudulent". Let us tackle the issues staring us in he face - For indeed, these endless tribal wars have cost lives in the past, and will cost more lives in the future if left unchecked.

Not just this - If we start to feel uncomfortable when people say Nigerians are occultic, and hass "child witches". Well . . . Again, smoke without fire? Before we start to beat our chests in wounded pride, is there any truth in therumours of neglected children been branded as witches and left to die, or worse still even attacked by their own parents? And what do we do about these real evils?

I think we should be petitioning Nollywood movie makers instead,becos there re d ones that 1st depict Naija gals sleeping with other species(DOGS),as cannibalist ritualist,as hustlers et al. Or are petitioning the movie maker because it is foreign? What if he came and potrayed a nigerian as the hero, would we still protest?the guys never said all nigerian were cannibals or prostitutes and if that what anyone deduce,then sori 4 dat person

superboi:

I think we should be petitioning Nollywood movie makers instead,becos there re d ones that 1st depict Naija gals sleeping with other species(DOGS),as cannibalist ritualist,as hustlers et al. Or are petitioning the movie maker because it is foreign? What if he came and potrayed a nigerian as the hero, would we still protest?the guys never said all nigerian were cannibals or prostitutes and if that what anyone deduce,then sori 4 dat person

Isn't that the Nigerian way? We prefer to focus on problems that have greater potential of getting us "noticed" by others(foreigners) than we do issues that would potentially help propel us ,as a nation, forward in the long run.

Its like a Family where the parents beat their children everyday,
starve them, keep them in a dark room for days.

Then they now come out to complain and petition against a neighbour
who says, that Nnowbi family, they are a bunch of weirdos and they eat flesh
while their children are still in that dark room, sick and hungry.

Beaf, I'm with u wenne. Aint nothing wrong with the movie. Go watch am people.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

You'll be lucky if u get 50 petitions!!

Some people know how to bother themselves with unnecessary things. Don't have HBP sha.

Use this time and energy to petition against important things pls. This movie is selling elsewhere, and the people are enjoying their money.