The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has launched a blistering attack on the title of the Nollywood movie A Very Dirty Christmas, accusing its producers of deliberately provoking Christians and trivialising one of the holiest seasons in the Christian calendar.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, described the film’s title as offensive, crude, and spiritually insensitive, insisting that branding Christmas as “dirty” strikes at the heart of the Christian faith.
According to reports, the movie, produced by Nollywood actress Ini Edo, is a holiday drama that seeks to peel back the glamour of Christmas celebrations by exposing family secrets, betrayal, greed, and unresolved trauma. While the producers frame it as a bold artistic take on festive hypocrisy, CAN insists the title alone crosses a red line.
The Christian body emphasized that Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, symbolizing purity, peace, love, and redemption—values CAN says are fundamentally contradicted by the word “dirty.”
“Christmas is a sacred season that marks the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. To associate such a holy celebration with the word ‘dirty’ diminishes its spiritual meaning and reduces a solemn religious observance to something crude and sensational,” Archbishop Okoh said.
CAN Calls for Apology and Respect for Christian Values
Beyond the religious outrage, CAN questioned how the title escaped official scrutiny, expressing shock that such wording was approved for public exhibition during Christmas. The Association called on the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) to explain how the film passed regulatory checks.
CAN also urged Nollywood bodies, including the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), to take responsibility for how religious symbols and sacred seasons are portrayed in popular culture.
While acknowledging artistic freedom, CAN warned that creativity in a multi-religious society like Nigeria must come with restraint.
“Creative freedom does not confer a licence to offend deeply held beliefs,” Okoh said.
The Association demanded that the producers reconsider the title and issue a public apology, specifically naming Ini Edo, and warned that actions perceived as mocking sacred values could further inflame social tensions.
Despite its sharp rebuke, CAN said it remains committed to peaceful engagement, but vowed to continue speaking out whenever Christianity is demeaned or provoked in the public space.
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