Because fake and below-standard goods remain a problem across Nigeria, Fishbone is every bit as timely today as when it first came out. NAFDAC has warned more than once that falsified medicines and other products are on sale, and some could cause a treatment to fail, foster drug resistance, or even prove deadly.
On social media, Nigerians regularly express their anger over run-ins with counterfeits, among them are:
- deodorant,
- chicken,
- toothpaste,
- drinks,
- palm oil,
- soy sauce,
- body and hair creams, and so on.
Anakle Films: The Maker of Fishbone
Anakle Films made Fishbone in 2020, working with the US Mission in Nigeria and the US Department of Justice. The short film takes a look at the perils of fake drugs through two characters: Mama T (Shaffy Bello), a well-regarded philanthropist who quietly operates a counterfeit medicine business in Makoko, Lagos, and Inspector Cole (Daniel Etim Effiong), who is set on destroying her operation.
The film is a crime drama, yet it also probes the many sides of counterfeiting: vulnerable communities being exploited, the sway held by money and standing, and the terrible cost of valuing profit above human life.
What Makes Fishbone Interesting?
What makes its core message so disturbing is that those who make and spread fake goods may live right among the very people they put at risk, and those people may never know.
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Watching Fishbone again is a chance to recall just how hazardous fake products are. The film traces how counterfeit medicines travel through neighbourhoods to reach people who are unaware of what they are purchasing, and so it stresses the value of awareness, watchfulness and accountability. It also serves as a well-timed nudge to take more care over where medicines are bought, and to report to the proper authorities about any product suspected of being falsified.
Watch Fishbone once more, and remember that each counterfeit product poses a risk that another person may end up paying for with their very existence.
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