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Veteran Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani has strongly condemned the unauthorised creation and circulation of short clips from his films on social media, describing the growing trend as outright piracy and a violation of intellectual property rights.
Kelani, fondly known as TK, made his position clear in a Facebook post on Wednesday, where he expressed deep frustration over the increasing number of bloggers and content creators who extract scenes from his movies and repost them online without seeking his consent.
According to him, the practice goes beyond harmless content sharing and amounts to the destruction of years of cultural and creative investment.
Calling out the trend directly, Kelani wrote, “This is WRONG! Cutting our films — Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, Ti Oluwa Nile, Thunderbolt: Magun — into unauthorised reels and posting them online is not promotion. It is piracy and the destruction of our cultural work.”
The respected director stressed that a film is a complete artistic expression and should not be reduced to fragmented clips for the sake of online engagement and quick financial gain.
He argued that slicing carefully crafted stories into short, out-of-context snippets diminishes their meaning and undermines the creative process behind them.
“A film is a complete story, not fragments for quick views to make quick money illegally. This is stealing openly,” he stated.
Kelani further appealed to bloggers, influencers, and social media users to desist from the practice, which he described as both wicked and criminal.
He urged audiences to support filmmakers by watching and sharing movies through authorised platforms and official distribution channels instead of promoting pirated content.
“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,” he added.
Kelani’s films are widely regarded as cultural landmarks in Nigerian cinema, often blending traditional Yoruba storytelling with strong socio-political commentary.
Over the decades, his works have played a significant role in preserving indigenous language, culture, and history through film. Many of his productions continue to enjoy relevance among younger audiences, particularly in the age of social media where nostalgic and culturally rich content often trends.
However, the rise of short-form video platforms has also led to increased copyright concerns, with many creators monetising clips from movies without compensating the original filmmakers.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that such practices discourage investment in quality productions and weaken the creative economy.
Kelani’s outcry has sparked conversations online about intellectual property protection and respect for creative ownership in Nigeria’s entertainment space.
As digital consumption continues to evolve, his message serves as a reminder that promotion should never come at the expense of creators’ rights.
For Kelani, protecting cultural heritage is not just about preserving old films but ensuring that the creators behind them are respected, credited, and properly supported.
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