Abstract
This study examines the potentials of film in managing conflict in the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This is against the backdrop that since the commencement of oil production in the region in the 1960s to date, it has continued to experience one form of armed conflict or the other. These manifest in several ways such as kidnapping of foreign oil workers, vandalization of oil facilities and confrontation with security operatives by militants, leaving adverse effects on the Nigerian economy which depends on crude oil as the major source of income. The paradox of plenty or resource curse that has come to characterize the region and how it can be addressed, therefore, is what prompts the current study. Using the Nollywood film- Black November, the study demonstrates that film is an instrument that can be used effectively to manage conflicts in the region. From the viewpoint of Singhal and Rogers’ Entertainment-Education approach, the study adopts thematic analysis to identify and discuss the various themes embedded in the film. Findings indicate that several forces are behind the intractable conflict in the region as contained in the film, such as exploitation of resident communities by multinational oil companies, environmental degradation occasioned by oil spillage and gas flaring, and gross injustice, insincerity and human rights abuse by security operatives that make the people lose faith and confidence in both them and the government which they represent. Other causes include betrayal and corruption on the part of community leaders and the burning fire of patriotism in the youth who are determined to fight for their rights. Given the rich thematic embodiment of the film, the study concludes that film has potentials which, if effectively harnessed, will go a long way in managing conflicts in the society.
Highlights
The spate of violent conflicts that has engulfed present day Nigeria is alarming
Considering the devastating effects of these conflicts on the socio-economic wellbeing of the masses, and the rate at which new forms of violent conflicts erupt in the country on daily basis, it is safe to note that the complexity of the conflict situation in Nigeria is, deepening by the day
Several factors culminate into these conflicts, principal among which include the struggle for scarce resources such as land, environmental degradation occasioned by exploitation of mineral resources, the struggle for political power, religious intolerance and ethnic chauvinism among an endless array of others (Orounye, 2012; Yuguda & Goni, 2013; Abdulsalam, 2014)
Summary
The spate of violent conflicts that has engulfed present day Nigeria is alarming. Top on the array of such conflicts are the prolonged Niger Delta militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, the Boko Haram insurgency in the North Eastern region, and the myriad of ethnic cum religious conflicts, prominently, the herders/farmers conflicts that have spread through the North Central/North Eastern regions, and increased in intensity over the past few years. The mode of operation of these groups varies, and ranges from peaceful protests, media warfare and appeal, and in extreme cases, physical violence such as vandalization of oil facilities, kidnapping of oil workers (mostly Europeans) and confrontations with security officers Another worrying dimension to the manifestation of these conflicts is the emergence of ethnic nationalism, which has helped to deepen the complexity of the Niger delta problematic, as (Nwankwo, 2015) notes, that: Ethnic nationalism in the Niger-Delta has become one of the major problems in the region, as many people under the disguise of fighting for the economic emancipation of the Niger-Delta people exploit the oil companies and federal government by demanding money that never gets to the hands of the downtrodden citizens in the Niger-Delta region The effects of the constant squabbles between militant groups in the region and oil companies/security agencies are multifaceted, with serious impact on the country’s GDP
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