Tunde Kelani film piracy warning as legendary director condemns unauthorised reels of Saworoide and Agogo Eewo shared online

Veteran Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani has issued a stern warning against what he described as rampant Tunde Kelani film piracy, condemning the unauthorised cutting of his films into short social media reels and branding the practice “stealing openly”.

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Kelani, producer of acclaimed Yoruba classics including Saworoide, Agogo Eewo and Ti Oluwa Nile, made the remarks in a post shared on X on Wednesday while rebuking a page allegedly dedicated to illegally showcasing segments of his works.

The celebrated director said fragmenting full-length films into brief online clips for monetised views undermines both the integrity of the stories and the cultural value embedded in them.

“This is WRONG!” Kelani wrote.

“Cutting our films Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, Ti Oluwa Nile, Tundernolt, Magun into unauthorised reels and posting them online is not promotion.

It is piracy and the destruction of our cultural work.”

Kelani stressed that cinema is designed as a complete narrative experience rather than disjointed snippets engineered for rapid consumption.

“A film is a complete story, not fragments for quick views to make quick money illegally. This is stealing openly,” Kelani added.

The filmmaker urged viewers and content creators to support original works through legitimate distribution channels.

He appealed for collective responsibility in safeguarding Nigeria’s creative heritage.

“Please stop this practice and wickedness! Support creators by watching and sharing films through the proper channels. Let us protect, not diminish, our heritage. Stop this criminality.”

The intervention has sparked renewed conversation about intellectual property protection within Nigeria’s film industry, particularly as social media platforms continue to reshape content consumption patterns.

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Kelani’s forceful stance highlights ongoing concerns among filmmakers that digital piracy threatens both revenue streams and the preservation of culturally significant works.