Years after its release, Fishbone remains relevant as Nigeria continues to grapple with counterfeit and substandard products. NAFDAC has repeatedly warned about falsified drugs and other products in circulation, including products that can lead to treatment failure, drug resistance and even death. Nigerians share their outcry on social media about their encounters with counterfeit products, from deodorant, chicken, toothpaste, to drinks, body and hair cream, soy sauce, palm oil, and many others. It is an ongoing public health concern.
Released in 2020 by Anakle Films in collaboration with the US Mission in Nigeria and the US Department of Justice, Fishbone is a short film that explores the dangers of drug counterfeiting through the story of Mama T (Shaffy Bello), a respected philanthropist who secretly runs a counterfeit drug operation in Makoko, Lagos, and Inspector Cole (Daniel Etim Effiong), who is determined to bring her down.
Beyond its crime-drama storyline, Fishbone explores the layers of counterfeiting, from the exploitation of vulnerable communities and the influence of wealth and social status to the devastating consequences of putting profit before human life. Its central message is particularly unsettling because the people who manufacture and distribute fake products can be deeply embedded in the same communities they endanger, without their knowledge.
Rewatching Fishbone is an opportunity to remind ourselves how dangerous counterfeit products are. By showing how counterfeit drugs move through a community and affect people who may have no idea what they are buying, the film reminds viewers that awareness, vigilance and accountability matter. It is also a timely prompt to be more careful about where medicines are purchased and to report suspected falsified products to the appropriate authorities.
Watch Fishbone again, and remember that behind every counterfeit product is a risk someone else may have to pay for with their life.
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