Nollywood Row: CAN Condemns Ini Edo’s ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’ Movie Title

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the title of a new Nollywood movie, ‘A Very Dirty Christmas’, produced by Ini Edo, describing it as offensive and disrespectful to the Christian faith.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed concern that the title undermines the spiritual significance of Christmas, a sacred period that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and symbolises purity, peace, love, and redemption.

“The Christian Association of Nigeria is deeply troubled by the title of the movie, A Very Dirty Christmas, which we consider offensive and disrespectful to the Christian faith,” Okoh said, calling for the film’s title to be reviewed by relevant regulatory authorities.

CAN acknowledged the importance of creative freedom and artistic expression but stressed that such freedoms must be exercised with responsibility and sensitivity, particularly in a religiously diverse society like Nigeria.

The association has called on the National Film and Video Censors Board to explain how the title was approved for public exhibition, especially during the Christmas season.

CAN has also urged industry bodies, including the Actors Guild of Nigeria and other Nollywood stakeholders, to take a clear position on the use of religious themes and symbols in ways that could offend faith communities.

The movie, directed by Akay Mason, centres on a tense family reunion during the Christmas season, where unresolved secrets and past trauma resurface, turning what should be a festive period into emotional turmoil.