The National Association of Emerging Artists (NAEA) has voiced its displeasure with the "Gangs of Lagos" film's promoters.

The producer and director Kemi Akindoju and Jade Osiberu's portrayal of artists as "criminals" disappointed NAEA, the organization stated.

This was revealed by the group in a recent statement that Unadey Jones, its spokesperson, released.

The statement partly read, “Casting artists as criminals has harmed the pop cultural fabric of Nigeria and upheld harmful musician stereotypes.”

Singers Chike, Pasuma, and Zlatan Ibile were cast as gangsters in the film by its director.

Chike in particular portrayed Ify, aka Panamo, a budding artist who was involved in gangsterism and was ultimately murdered by his gang members to hide a secret.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has also described the Gangs of Lagos’ movie as a “cultural misrepresentation”.

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, frowned at the promoters of the movie for depicting the Eyo Masquerade as a gun-wielding villain while adorning the full traditional regalia.

Earlier, the Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, the Apesinla y ba Alakt Pupa kalaba kun, a cultural group, ordered the promoters of ‘Gangs of Lagos’ to withdraw the movie immediately, describing it as “ethnic profiling, sacrilegious, and outrageous trash.”