Biyi Bandele, Director of the hit movie, Half of a Yellow Sun, has questioned the claim by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) that it is delaying the approval of the film over ‘unresolved issues.’

The claim was made yesterday in a statement issued in Abuja by Caesar Kagho, Acting Head, Corporate Affairs of NFVCB.

Reacting to the claim this morning on his Facebook wall, the UK-based Bandele asked NFVCB: “So what are the ‘unresolved issues?’ ”

News Express reports that NFVCB has come under heavy criticism for unnecessarily delaying the approval of the film, which is making waves across the world.

Half of a Yellow Sun is set in the Nigeria-Biafra War of 1967-70. It stars a galaxy of acting icons, including Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu and Genevieve Nnaji.

“I understand that the DG of the NFVCB, in particular, feels that the film may be too ‘political’ and remind people about the civil war,” News Express on Saturday quoted one well-connected source as saying. The source, however, faulted this line of thinking, pointing out that “in reality, Half of a Yellow Sun is about the relationships between the four principal characters against the backdrop of the civil war. It is a story of love, forgiveness, betrayal and redemption.”

The movie is based on the novel of the award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which focused on a love story of two sisters who were caught up in the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war.

It was adapted into a movie by Bandele, himself also an award-winning writer.

•Photo shows ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ director, Biyi Bandele.