Nigerian film Industry (Nollywood)
May 11th, 2011 by admin
The cinema of Nigeria popularly called Nollywood grew rapidly in the 1990s becoming the second largest film industry in the world, ahead of the United States and behind the Indian film industry. It is now African’s largest movie industry in terms of both value and the number of movies produced per year. This rapid growth has changed the social scene in the country as people seek to watch them instead of the Hollywood movies. This has seen film makers in recent times smiling to the banks.
With the addiction to Nollywood films by many Nigerians including those in the diaspora, I must confess I am not a big fan of Nollywood, simply because I will not spend money buying and watching them. A major reason is I sometimes can tell the end of the stories after about thirty minutes into the film. Though, some may see this as unpatriotic but really honestly, I have never being able to get past watching the first half of a nolly wood movie without getting the total picture of the movie. I guess this explains why my sisters have tried without success to make me a fan. Anyway, I recently saw a movie and was completely taken aback at the open display of nude scenes. I had to ask if this was actually a Nollywood movie. When the answer was affirmative, I could not help wondering when the Nigerian movie industry threw decency to the dustbin.
Further enquires left me pondering why the industry was now indulging in these sexual acts. The stories are woven in such a way that my Nigerian brothers and sisters are portrayed in the most deplorable manner. These men and women who want to be popular at all cost depict sexual scenes with reckless abandon. Some even go as far as engaging in acts with the same gender.
This unwholesome acts boldly displayed in the movies do not reflect our culture, morals and good manners. Even though, Nigeria is well known for certain societal ills, such as drug trafficking, advance fee fraud, we are a unique and beautiful people with promising talents. We are people with regard for culture, morals, values and decency. So our films should be simple and classy while using creativity and intelligence. In light of this, district 9, comes to mind. It is a movie shot in South Africa that negatively portrays Nigeria. Nigeria’s then Information Minister Dora Akinluyi asked movie theatres around the country to either ban the film or edit out specific references to the country, because of the film’s negative depiction of the Nigerian characters as criminals and cannibals. She also said the gang leader Obesandjo is almost identical in spelling and pronunciation to the surname of former president Olusegun Obasanjo
On second thoughts, movies with such blatant show of sex scenes may be as a result of producers wanting to be as realistic as possible and also wanting huge sales which can be done without going overboard or extreme. This is unfortunate because we do not have to be cheap to sell movies. Besides, there are lots of ideas for movies with our rich multicultural heritage. All of which can be channeled into educative and informative movies. The country is at a point where films produced should bring about a social change, contribute to the development of our polity with a purpose of unifying ethnic groups, civil society’s groups, professional bodies, market men and women, students, and all strata of the nation. It ought not to be about cheap gains but a concern for the total development of the country. If truth be told even though our cultural dispositions differ, nollywood can make a difference by bringing to fore qualities that are worthy of trumpeting to the outer world. It is sad, when you hear stories that most Nigerians cannot reside anywhere in the country that he considers fit to own a property. Therefore, when nollywood begins to focus on our culture, values, then movements challenging our “Africaness” will be eliminated.
i sincerely agreed with the writter.apart from the fact of entertainment,which the film industry shuld promote,it is unspoken espectaton that the culture of the hosting naton where the Hollywood,Nollywood,Bollywood or whatever wood is established,strive to encourage and promote such culture.the colonial mentality the actors and actress were trying to displayed are bogus and outrageous.It is therefore now that aradical change should be introduce by all stakeholders in the film industry and the old teaching and proverb….CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME……shouldbe the watchword
The celebrities in Nollywood should know that the ovation will not last forever. And that if they decide to go naked in a desperate attempt to rake in millions of naira, the viewers may clap and hail them today as celebrities, but very few same single male Nigeria will want to marry an actress that exposed her vital organs for the public
I am a big fan of Nollywood and i have been a bit taken aback with the recent movies i have seen but i somehow believe things will change.
Nollywood is the best thing that has happened to Nigeria in a long while. Movie stars like Genevevie Naji, Stephanie Okereke and Rita Dominic are my favourites actors and they make Nigeria proud. Though the industry has a long way to go, going this way will certainly not help. I have seen some of the movies and they sell like hot cake. They are new to our country, a major reason why.