Nollywood Celebrities and the Emergence of Pro-Nigeria Fan Cultures in Cameroon: A Conceptual Discourse

Abstract

Like other world cinemas, Nollywood has since its inception in the 1990s, engendered actor fandom inside and outside Nigeria. Indeed, the trans- nationalisation and explosion of Nollywood have enabled the popularity not only of Nigerian films, but also of Nollywood stars, in countries across the world. As mentioned in passing by a number of commentators, Nollywood celebrities have rapidly become stars in such places as African Diasporas in the West, in Caribbean countries and most especially in Africa. In tandem with this, a number of Nigerian actors have, thanks to their popularity, been recruited to work in giant political and marketing campaigns outside Nigeria. However, although mentioned in a number of cinema studies and blog articles, the issue of the emergence of Nollywood actors’ fans in countries across Africa remains understudied nay downplayed in research works. The studies that evoke this phenomenon tend to do so just in passing. In the bid to fill this gap in knowledge, the present article attempts an examination of pro-Nigeria fan cultures which emerged in Cameroon from early 2000s as a result of the popularity of Nollywood films and Nigerian actors in the country. Based on secondary sources and critical observations, the paper argues that Nollywood stars have been one of Nigeria’s major image makers in Cameroon. These stars contribute immensely to the deconstruction of anti-Nigeria stereotypes, as well as to laundering a Nigerian image which has for decades, appeared seriously battered.