Nollywood Films Research Articles

Diabolism and Male Child Preference in the Cause of Mental Illnesses in Ebuka Onuma’s Film, Moment of Madness

This paper examines diabolism and male-child preference as the cause of mental illness in Moment of Madness, a Nollywood film. Mental illnesses have become like a cankerworm eating deep into the fabric of global societies. Places of treatment that patients' relatives choose for victims depend on the cause of the illness. Factors causing mental illnesses depicted in Nollywood are also under-studied. This paper uses Attribution theory and textual analysis methods to read the cause of mental illness in the film, Moment of Madness. The study exposes that Nollywood films set in traditional African society portray traditional causes like diabolic as one of the root causes of mental illnesses and male child preference as a leading factor for Charity’s use of diabolism to cause mental illness to Mmesoma in the film.

Child Rights, Abuse and Mitigating Options in Nollywood Films: A Study of <i>Wives on Strike</i> and <i>Itoro</i>

Child rights are those fundamental privileges that contribute to the overall development of children in society. The increasing rate of child abuse impinges on the rights of children resulting in numerous negative effects that are harmful to their growth and well-being. Although some Nollywood films portray the problem of child abuse in society, not much has been done to examine the rights of children and how these rights are violated as a result of cultural and social factors that condition the well-being of children. The study examined the representation of child rights, abuse and mitigating options in Omoni Oboli’s <i>Wives on Strike</i> (2016) and Precious Adeyemi’s <i>Itoro</i> (2017). These Nollywood films were selected through a purposive sampling technique because the have thematic importance relevant to the problem of the study. James Garbarino’s Social Habitability theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. Findings revealed that child labour and marriage are dominant abuses of children and teenagers in Nigeria with adverse consequences on their development. It also revealed that the girl child is at the greatest risk of abuse due to cultural and social factors. The study recommended further exposition of this crime, especially other forms of child abuse by Nollywood film practitioners to mitigate its scourge because the future of every nation depends on children.

From Nollywood to the World: A Cultural Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis of Nollywood Films on Netflix

This study examines the transnationalization of the Nollywood industry in the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix. As nonwestern film industries begin to find global audiences beyond their local space, ideological underpinnings of these industries also continue to shift and become more apparent. The need to compete for global capital while retaining the cultural flavor of the South has been a major challenge of many transnational media industries. Taking Nollywood as a case study, this study argues that the production of Nollywood films on Netflix goes beyond the quest to find global market, instead economic interest, the need to appeal to global audience by producing multicultural relevant content and promulgating a Nigerian identity that non-African audience can understand are important areas that should be considered. Contextualized within the theories of cultural studies and political economy and the method of critical discourse analysis, the study accentuates the changing discourse of the new Nollywood cinema and what it means for critical cultural scholarship of media and communication, especially in the Global South.

Women and the Male Gaze in Nollywood Films

Women and the Male Gaze in Nollywood Films

A Study of Multimodal Communicative Acts in Selected Nollywood Film Advertisement Posters

Movie posters employ multiple modes of communication in their display to communicate with the audience. Identifying the modes and the meanings realised through them as projected in most scholarly works on film posters are not sufficient in interpreting the intentional goals of the image designers or advertisers. It is against this backdrop that this article articulates the pragmatic functions of Nollywood film posters’ advertising language as a form of language in action and intention in the situational context of users. Eight (8) Nollywood film advertisement posters which were purposively selected were analysed using insights from van Leeuwen’s (2005) theory of multimodal communicative acts and Bach and Harnish’s (1979) speech acts theory. The findings from the analysis reveal that communicative acts of informing, stating, expressing, describing and asserting are frequently demonstrated via visual and verbal modes in the advertisement posters. The less employed multimodal communicative acts are questioning and ordering. These multimodal communicative acts utilised demonstrate the persuasive illocutionary and communicative intentions of Nollywood film advertisers which is primarily aimed at enhancing viewing patronage. The article concludes that the adaptability of Nollywood advertisement posters to the context and situation of users is considered pertinent to the appropriate interpretation of meanings realised from the complex modes of communication employed in them.

Political and Cultural Dynamics in Bollywood and Nollywood Films: A Comparative Perspective

Films are popularly believed to be reflection of reality as well as a representation of the societies in which they were produced. They are excellent windows into their societies of origin and could thus serve as good anthropological or historical documents containing data about socio-political events that have happened in their societies of origin. One of the multiple data one can extract/gather from films is the socio-cultural and political dynamics prevailing in the society in which the films subsist. This paper attempts to illustrate this thesis through a review of relevant Bollywood and Nollywood films. Specifically, the study hinges on a review of relevant selected films to show how Bollywood and Nollywood are a reflection of cultural and political dynamics in India and Nigeria respectively. The paper starts with a brief background which examines the extent to which Nollywood and Bollywood films could be considered a reflection of contemporary Nigeria and India. It proceeds to defining the concept of cultural and political dynamics, with strict respect to the Indian and Nigerian experiences. The paper ends up with an examination of how these cultural and political dynamics are reflected in relevant Bollywood and Nollywood films. It concludes that both Nigerian and Bollywood films reflect social and political dynamics in their societies of origin in the same way.

Film Representation of Igbo Cultural Widowhood Practices in Anambra State. An Audience Analysis of a Nollywood Movie: Glory of a Widow

This study examines the representation of Igbo cultural widowhood practices in Anambra State through the lens of the Nollywood film "Glory of a Widow". Employing structural functionalist theory and feminist film theory, this qualitative research utilized focus group discussions to gather data from audiences. Findings reveal that Igbo cultural practices surrounding widowhood continue to be prevalent in contemporary society, perpetuating gender inequality and discrimination. The study identifies the need for amendments of existing laws and policies to protect the rights of widows. The film's portrayal of these practices sparks crucial conversations about cultural preservation, gender justice, and the role of the media in shaping societal attitudes. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex intersections between culture, gender, and media representation in Igbo society, highlighting the potential for film to inspire social change and promote gender equality.

Social Construct of Nollywood Films and Ethnocentrism in Southern Nigeria

Social Construct of Nollywood Films and Ethnocentrism in Southern Nigeria

Costume, Make-Up and Props as Conveyors of Culture in Nollywood

This paper interrogates how the use of costume, make-up and props in Nollywood aid in situating the films within a culture. Film art is a cultural product which propagates and instils the culture of its origin to the viewer. It does this through the use of costume, make-up and props which help to establish the background of the narrative. Aguba (2004), a Nollywood film will be used for analysis and discussion in this study. Anchored in Social Semiotic Theory, the article uses descriptive and analytical methods to explicate the use of costume, make- up and props in Aguba, The findings reveal that costume, make-up and props situate films to a particular culture as it is the case in the film under study. The paper concludes that costume, make-up and props is used to convey cultural information in Aguba. We, therefore, recommend that costume, make-up and props should be discerned as the most visible channel through which we propagate and document the people’s identity, using it to showcase cultures and values.

Online Streaming: A Paradigm Shift for Nollywood Movie Distribution

The Nigerian movie distribution and exhibition business has undergone major transformation in the last few years due to technological innovation. The study is about Nollywood paradigm shift from hard copy movie distribution to online streaming services. The aim is to ascertain why producers are moving to soft screening through online pay-to-view platforms. The objectives were to find out if this new trend is financially beneficial to the producers and whether it will likely continue in the future. The study adopted qualitative methods to interrogate existing data on some of the most popular Nollywood films released online by Netflix. This is based on a snap-shot of Netflix’s popularity chart in the month of October, 2020 and news of cinema theatre films release around the same period. The findings are that the online distribution deals must have been profitable for the producers, judging by repeated use by some of them and others enlisting in the business. The expanding scope of Nollywood producers using these online streaming platforms for distributions of their work suggests the likelihood of a continuing process. The study concludes that this is a mutually beneficial relationship between local producers and online business global entities. It, therefore, recommends that Nollywood producers avoid signing exclusive deals with online distributors only. This will allow home-grown cinema theatres to be financially rewarding to prevent the nation’s cinema theatre chains from collapsing due to redundancy.

Evaluation of Child’s Right Portrayal in Select Nollywood Films

This study examines the role of Nollywood films in promoting child rights in Nigeria. Using Development Media and Social Representation Theories, the study analyzed five locally produced movies and 663 respondents. The findings revealed that Nigerian films depict various issues of child rights, including neglect, child labor, emotional abuse, child battering, sexual abuse, gender discrimination, child kidnapping, child trafficking, and moral abuse. The study concluded that Nigerian movies provide a country perspective for deepening moral and social consciousness and advancing attitudinal change in child rights. The authors recommend that filmmakers continue producing films that address child rights issues to further advance justice against children.

Changing with changing times: A peep into Nollywood physical film markets in the era of online marketing

At the early stages of Nollywood (the film industry in Nigeria), names of physical film markets were regular in thrillers and posters of films. These include the markets at Upper Iweka Onitsha, Alaba International Lagos, Idumota Lagos, Pound Road Aba and Milverton Avenue Aba. These markets handled the general marketing of the industry. In the present day Nollywood, most of the marketing in the industry are done online. Yet, the names of these physical markets still suffice on the thrillers and posters of Nollywood films. This paper attempts to take a look at the state of the physical film markets in Nigeria in contemporary times. The markets surveyed are the film markets in Electro-Mart Market Onitsha Anambra State (which is a re-location of the market at Upper Iweka Onitsha), Alaba International Market and Idumota Market both in Lagos, and Pound Road and Milverton Avenue both in Aba Abia State. The work is approached through documentary research, observation and interview sessions with the marketers in, and leaders of the markets. It is concluded that despite the fact that activities have grossly dwindled in these physical film markets, they are still very relevant to Nollywood for some other vital functions they perform for the industry. What is missing in these markets is the suitable political environment for the industry. The paper recommends the provision of the enabling economic, natural and, most importantly, political environment for the industry to thrive better in this highly digital era.

Digital technology and Nollywood film industry

Film also known as the 7th Art is a medium for education, information and entertainment which has over the years undergone a series of technological innovations. This paper examines the evolution of cinema from the ‘silent era’ to the ‘new age era’ characterized by a trajectory of innovations and improvements due to technological developments. The paper adapts the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) propounded by Everett Rogers in 1962 to assess the extent to which innovations in digital technology have altered the old traditional film production landscape. The paper seeks, among others, to determine and highlight the significant areas technology has impacted on the development of motion pictures globally with particular emphasis on the Nigerian film industry popularly known as Nollywood. Our major point of interest is on the roles, impacts, challenges and prospects of digital technology in the areas of production, distribution, marketing and exhibition of films. By using the assumptions of DIT which seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. The paper further reviews relevant literature and some empirical results from scholars to justify its claims. We are able to establish in our findings that digital technology is the driving force of film development which has contributed enormously to world cinema. Furthermore, the rapid development and emergence of Nollywood film industry as the second largest producer of films in the world next to Bollywood of India is attributable to the emergence of digital technology.

The changing narratives in Nollywood movie viewing through online streaming

The deployment of digital technologies for film production, distribution and marketing in the Nigerian film industry can be considered a giant stride, which has triggered drastic changes in the production values, quality and standards of the industry. This study examines the impact of these digital technologies on Nollywood film industry, howbeit, with particular focus on the changing narratives of movie viewing through online streaming. The study adopted the qualitative methodology, and the use of documents and visual media research instrument was utilized. Thus, different types of documents and other visual media like books and other publications, newspapers and the Internet were used to extract relevant data. Amongst other findings, movie viewing in Nollywood through online streaming has drastically changed the phase of the industry, as it has attracted new deals and secured production partnerships, locally and internationally; created new revenue streams for filmmakers and placed the industry on the global scale of vibrant film cultures. However, amidst these plethora of benefits, there are peculiar challenges that unless tackled, this development would not last. Consequently, this study concludes that, to sustain and maximize the gains of online movie streaming in Nollywood to deliver for the greater good, even in the long run, these loopholes in the system like issues bordering on content development, contractual agreements, cyber security, illegal downloaders etc. should be addressed. This study recommends the respective agencies of government and relevant industry stakeholders should leverage on this great advancement, and expedite action in tackling the issues that will truncate it.

Immigrational Exclusion in the West and Exile Culture in Africa: Exploring Parallels and Biopower Dynamics

This study shows how political and ethnic elites employ their power to impose societal standards through exclusion practices like deportation and exile culture. The research also serves as a further illustration of Foucault's concept of bio-power being manifested. In this study, social exclusion from indigenous African societies and contemporary Western nations is investigated from a historical, social, and cultural standpoint. The study is built around Michael Foucault’s concept of biopower, and it employs discourse analysis as a methodology with an emphasis on Foucauldian discourse analysis. More so, the study incorporates the examination of African exile traditions and contemporary deportation from the Nollywood perspective. Hence, two Nollywood films, Anchor Baby ‘2010’ and Arodan ‘2023’, whose themes resonate with the study’s objectives, were selected. The study found out that whether it is the State exercising its power to regulate immigration or traditional leaders demonstrating their authority over their communities to maintain social order, deportation and exile are tools through which biopower is exerted. It recommends that effective policy communication is essential for addressing the utilization of this biopower and reducing racial or national prejudice, especially in deportation operations. The study contends that the inaccurate depiction and improper use of biopower strategies can result in profound psychological effects for the impacted individuals. It further recommends that it is imperative for authorities to give high importance to effective policy communication and actively take measures to reduce possible adverse outcomes. Ensuring that immigrants are given the confidence that deportation decisions are based on legitimate justifications, such as public or national security, is of utmost importance.

Movie as a Tool for Creation and Sustenance of Nigeria’s Positive Image: A Case Study of 93 Days

Image matters whether it concerns a nation or an individual. The image of the Nigerian and the Nigerian nation in the media, both national and international, leaves so much to be desired. Daily, we are bombarded with negative stereotypes and images in the media: of Nigerian armed robbers in Dubai; Yahoo Yahoo and Yahoo plus experiments and; credit card fraudsters in the UK and other European nations. These images do not help in projecting the real potential and the endowments of the nation both in human terms and natural resources. This paper investigates the genuine practise and patterns of Nigerian workers, especially as it is represented in the Nollywood film "93 Days" which is a film that shows Nigeria in a positive light over an incident that was well handled by the Government. This, however, is one of the rare films that showed Nigeria in good light. There are many in Nollywood and even Hollywood that show the country in negative image such as District 9 and Shanty Town. This paper examines how films could be used as tools in creating and sustaining positive images for Nigeria and the Nigerian nation. It will also explore how, through the use of themes and characterisation, films can be used to create positive images for the nation. It will then suggest steps that could be taken to increase the number of Nollywood films that could help in rebranding the nation's image positively. Negative representation in Nollywood harms the country's reputation because there is no telling how far the films go. The theoretical framework for this paper is Jean-Louis Baudry's Apparatus theory. The theory avers that cinema (film) is ideological; its mechanics of representation are ideological because films are created to represent reality. It also adopts a literary method of analysis to answer the question posed on the reality of the effectiveness of the Nigerian sectors. From the analysis, the aplomb nature of the Nigerian health workers is revealed. In a period that is evidently challenging for everybody, especially health workers, outdid themselves and protected the people.

The Futurity of Indigenous Languages in Nollywood Movies

This qualitative research delves into the futurity of indigenous languages in the context of Nollywood movies, employing a dual methodology of Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews. Participants spanning two age groups, 18-36 and 36-70, engaged in the FGD sessions, adding depth and diversity to the study. The research is anchored in the Language Vitality Theory and Cultural Hybridity Theory, providing a robust theoretical framework for exploration. The study sets forth four primary objectives. Firstly, it aims to scrutinize the audience’s consumption patterns of indigenous language films vis-a-vis English language movies in Nollywood. Secondly, it delves into the audience’s perceptions and interpretations of the cultural and linguistic dimensions presented in indigenous language movies. Thirdly, the research investigates the factors contributing to the sustained use and relevance of indigenous languages in Nollywood filmmaking. Finally, the study scrutinizes the potential future roles of indigenous languages in the Nollywood film industry. The research questions, strategically derived from the objectives, guide the inquiry process. Key findings underscore the significance of subtitles in enhancing audience engagement, comprehension, and enjoyment. Participants expressed a preference for subtitles, emphasizing their role in reducing the linguistic barrier and enhancing the overall movie-watching experience. In conclusion, the study recommends concerted efforts to enhance the quality and authenticity of indigenous languages in Nollywood. Particularly, it advocates for substantial investment in subtitles, recognizing them as a pivotal factor in bridging linguistic gaps and ensuring a broader audience base. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on the role of indigenous languages in the ever-evolving landscape of Nollywood, shedding light on both current consumption patterns and potential future trajectories.

The Representation of Rape in Kunle Afolayan’s October 1 and Moses Inwang’s Alter Ego

Rape is one of the serious crimes committed every day in Nigeria with many negative effects on victims, perpetrators, and society. However, the enormity of the crime is not fully represented in Nollywood films leading to subpar treatment of rape as a subject matter in most Nigerian films. Using a descriptive approach, the study examined the subject of rape in Kunle Afulanyo’s October 1 and Moses Inwang’s Alter Ego. These films were selected using a purposive sampling technique that enabled the researchers to select from several Nollywood films that dwell on the issue of sexual violence. The study adopted Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi’s Self Control Theory to interrogate the motivation, perception and attitude toward rape. The study revealed that rape is committed within the institutions that are responsible for the development and protection of young people, resulting in latent physical, psychological and sociological problems for the victims, perpetrators, and society. The study recommended that Nollywood film practitioners should use their works as weapons against all forms of sexual violence, and concluded that social and cultural institutions have a major role to play in the intervention and survival of victims of rape by intensifying awareness of the dangers of sexual violence in Nigeria.

Tunde Kelani’s Women: A Look at Patriarchy in Selected Nollywood Films through a Womanist’s Len

Tunde Kelani’s Women: A Look at Patriarchy in Selected Nollywood Films through a Womanist’s Len

Nollywood: Revisiting the Change Prism towards Sustaining Societal Development

Nigeria's film industry had a significant year in 1992. Since then, numerous films have faced criticism for promoting negative behavior and attitudes. However, this study challenges those claims, demonstrating that Nollywood films can promote positive attitudes and sustainable development. The study analyzed two films: Daybreak in Udi and Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches. To achieve this goal, Nollywood is expected to facilitate the needed development through productions aimed at persuading the people to adopt values that enhance a better life and motivate them to greater heights in development. To this end, it was advanced that there was a need for Nollywood to revisit the changing prism by making significant films geared towards social and cultural reorientation leading to sustainable national development rather than placing undue emphasis on entertainment value and box office returns. The study appealed to the government at all levels and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to come to the aid of the film industry to enable it to play this significant role.