The Bible as Relic, Fetish or Talisman in Nollywood Films: A Semiotic Perspective

Abstract

Many Nollywood Christian films tap into a plurality of myths and idiosyncrasies prevailing in Nigeria in particular and the Christendom in general. Some of these myths and idiosyncrasies revolve around the perceived magical powers of the Bible, particularly the Holy Book’s ability to neutralize or prevent the designs of paranormal and satanic entities. In line with such Christian myths, many Nollywood Christianity-based films deploy various typologies of artifacts, signs and special effects to represent the Bible as an object which is more than a mere carrier of holy scriptures and the voice of God. In this paper, attention is given to the different indexical and symbolic signs used in Nollywood filmic productions to represent the Bible as a fetish or a relic. Using a critical review of secondary sources and relevant films, as well as semiotics, the paper identifies the use of visual and sound effects as one of the procedures deployed by Nollywood film directors to naturalize and popularize fetishist beliefs about the Bible. The effects popularly used by these film directors include radiating bibles, open pages of the Bible that generate dazzling light, ardent fire or meteoric energy with which pastors counter the attacks to satanic forces or deliver people in distress.