Actor IK Ogbonna has criticised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for what he described as a late reaction to the title of a new movie by his colleague, Ini Edo, A Very Dirty Christmas.
Ogbonna said CAN had months to raise concerns during the film’s promotion but only spoke up after the movie had been released and was already showing in cinemas nationwide.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the actor said he was disappointed with the association’s approach, noting that the title had received approval from the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) before production and release.
“You saw the promotions for this title for months and said nothing. The movie title was officially approved by the Censors Board, and we moved forward in good faith,” he wrote.
Ogbonna questioned how Christian it is to stay silent all along, then speak only when progress has been made, adding that this isn’t about conflict, it’s about fairness, consistency, and integrity.
“Now that the film is out, showing nationwide and doing well, suddenly there’s an issue with the title. How Christian is it to stay silent all along, then speak only when progress has been made?” he said.
The comments followed public criticism by CAN over the film’s title, which the association said could be offensive to Christians.
Earlier, Ini Edo appealed to regulators and the public not to withdraw the film from cinemas, insisting that it does not ridicule Christianity and that the controversy is centred only on the title.
In an emotional video posted on Instagram on Sunday night, the actress urged critics to watch the film before judging it.
“Just don’t pull my film, please. Just allow people to watch. Watch the film and come back and say that this film degrades Christians or degrades Christianity. Then I will pull it,” she said.
Edo added that she would personally take responsibility if the content was found to dishonour God or Christians.
“If it dishonours God or Christians in any way, I will pull it and bear the consequences. I will not be part of something like that,” she said.
Explaining the intention behind the title, Edo said it was not meant to demean the Christian faith, adding that the storyline focuses on family conflicts and hidden secrets rather than religion.
“This film has no dirt in it. It highlights family conflicts, secrets unfolding. It does not ridicule Christians,” she said.
Reacting to the controversy, the NFVCB said it had asked the film’s producer to modify the title, while acknowledging concerns raised by CAN.
In a statement, the board said public perception is a key part of regulation and noted that it has the legal power to withdraw a film from exhibition for further review, if necessary, in the public interest.
