We need permission from IBB to censor 'Badamasi' - NFVCB

The Obi Emelonye directed biopic had its United Kingdom premiere back in May, 2021.

National Film & Video Censors Board (NFVCB) executive director, Adedayo Thomas has opened up on the reason behind the delayed release of Obi Emelonye's Ibrahim Babaginda biopic 'Badamasi: Portrait of a General'.

Speaking at the Blue Pictures Entertainment Next Gen Mini Conference on Monday, November 22, Adedayo admitted that he refused to censor or classify the film as the former Head of State was yet to expressly give his blessings.

"I refuse to censor it or give classification because if you say biopic of Adedayo Thomas, Adedayo Thomas should be able to give you the approval to write about me. If I don’t give you an approval and you want to take it somewhere, I ask you where the permission is. That permission must be there before I could censor."

Adedayo also warned filmmakers considering offering their content rejected by the board to foreign streaming platforms. "[Amazon] can take it but they will never open a structure here. I could follow it up," Adedayo said.

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Shot in 2018, the biopic centered on the life of the former military Head of State portrayed him as a man with a deep sense of patriotism amid his human flaws.

In an exclusive interview with Pulse, Emelonye shared that Babaginda granted him rights to make the movie after a four-year wait. He further revealed that circumstances beyond his control forced his team to cancel the 2019 theatrical release.