Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry produces around 2,500 films a year, second to India’s Bollywood. Young people especially between infancy and puberty are directly or indirectly influenced by local films content.
Muhammad Hassan described Literature as “written works of imaginative, artistic, or intellectual value, typically characterized by the use of language to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences” (Hassan, 2022) in his article titled What is Literature – Definition, Types, Examples. There are many aspects of Literature and they are a. Drama b. Prose/Storytelling c. Poetry d. Graphic Novel e. Electronic Literature and many more. Forms of Drama are plays and films, Prose/Storytelling comes in novels, novellas, and short stories while Poetry is poems composed by people. The reasons why literature is essential are to A. Educate individuals B. Entertain people C. Hold historical and social values D. Make people reflect on issues around them and E. Appreciate beauty.
The kind of literature that would be focused on in this article is Drama, specifically, Theater Arts and the film industry that would be talked about is the Nigerian Film Industry known as Nollywood/New Nigeria Cinema. Nollywood is the second-largest film industry, Bollywood (India’s film industry) being the first. Its children are Yorubawood (Yoruba Language Film Industry), Kannywood (Hausa Language Film Industry) which was formed from the state, Kano and the Ibo Language Film Industry.
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- History of Nollywood
An article titled Nollywood: Cinema of Nigeria mentioned that “The creation of Nollywood started in the 1960s. It was when the first Nollywood movies were created by historical filmmakers such as Ola Balogun, Hubert Ogunde, Jab Adu, Moses Olayia, and Eddie Ugboma. (“History,”) They are considered the first generation of Nigerian filmmakers” (Weebly, n.d).
A second article titled Nollywood History: A Look at the Rise of New Nigerian Cinema posted on MasterClass began the historical background of Nollywood by mentioning that “Though Nigeria’s film industry dates back to the turn of the twentieth century, white colonial and foreign filmmakers oversaw these film productions. The Nigerian movie industry first began producing films shot on celluloid by Nigerian filmmakers after the country declared independence in 1960. Movies became a popular pastime with Nigerians, who had more disposable income in the 1970s thanks to an economic boom spurred by oil and other foreign investments. Movie theaters sprung up in Lagos, the country’s largest city, showing a mix of international and homegrown films” (MasterClass, 2021). Furthermore, it discussed the fact that video film/VHS became present with Living in Bondage, directed by Chris Obi Rapu in 1992 was a successful film.
A third article titled Nollywood-Everything You Need To Know mentioned that “The history of Nigerian cinema, often known as Nollywood, Nigerian cinema, often called Nollywood, consists of movies produced primarily in Nigeria, dating back to the 19th century and into the colonial age at the onset of the 20th century. The history and establishment of the Nigerian motion picture industry are generally classified into four main eras: A. The Colonial Era B. The Golden Age Era C. The Video Film Era and D. The Emerging New Nigerian Cinema.
The Emerging New Nigerian Cinema
Cinema as a mode first appeared in Nigeria towards the end of the 19th century through peephole viewing of motion picture devices. They were soon replaced by the onset of the 20th century with improved motion picture exhibition devices” (NFI, n.d).
- The Main Point of Discussion
This article would mention some Nollywood films to discuss the lessons and impact they have on Nigerian children and what parents need to do when children view unpleasant films.
Everything in this life has its good and bad areas as well as positive and negative effects on individuals. The author would begin this subarea by mentioning Nigerian movies with wonderful themes.
- Excellent Movies With Amazing Themes
As a cinephile who has watched numerous movies, a movie writer (story writer, and scriptwriter (though novice) as well as a film critic that the author of this article, the first film that comes to her mind is Strangers, a 2022 film. The story was written by Banji Adesanmi, scripted by Anthony Eloka Ogbu, directed by Biodun Stephens, and featured AbdulLateef Adedimeji, Femi Adebayo, Bimbo Oshin, Peter Fatomilola, and many more discussed the lack of health knowledge known by our people as the majority of our parents and grandparents believe on village people doing an individual. It happens that the protagonist (Adetola) had an illness that affected the skin tissue on his right leg to which some church missionaries became his Good Samaritans through an indigene of the village. Additionally, it brings awareness to believing in oneself and one’s abilities because Adetola had thought that he was too old to be educated as he started schooling at the age of about eleven years old. Despite his late educational background, he became a doctor who graduated as the Best Student of his set and later worked at the hospital where he had his successful operation. The lessons that the author garnered from this movie are 1. Never underestimate yourself 2. Put all your best in things you want to achieve and 3. Never let any condition weigh you down.
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The second film to be evaluated is The Griot, a 2021 film whose story was penned down by Temilolu Fosudo and Dapo Lanre-Badmus, and directed by Adeoluwa Owu had AbdulLateef Adedimeji, Temilolu Fosudo, Fatima Adio, Yewande Adekoya, Funso Adeolu, and many more in it. The film was about Olakunle whose characterization was that he was an intelligent storyteller but a timid guy whose friend (Sanmi) stole the lady who should have been his with the stories being told by Kunle to him. Fortunately for Kunle, he was later discovered to be the originator of the stories being told by Sanmi and through this, he won the heart of Tiwa, the lady in question. As a viewer of the movie, what was gathered as messages by the writer of this article are that a. Never be shy about what you want b. Never betray your friends because of a man/woman and c. Be careful of who you call your friends or trust.
The third movie to be discussed here is a duo film and they are titled Saworoide and Agogo Eewo, 1999 and 2002 consecutively which are part of the films produced by Opomulero (Tunde Kelani Films Production). It was written by Akinwunmi Isola and directed by Tunde Kelani and it had Kabira Kafidipe, Kunle Afolayan, Peter Fatomilola. Lere Paimo, Foluke Daramola, Adebayo Faleti and many more. The film indirectly focused on how the Nigerian government behaves and the promises they falsely make to civilians as well as how we have wonderful political participants who want the best for the country. Messages taken by the author of this article are A. Not promising what you can not do and B. Giving false hope to individuals.
The fourth movie to be assessed is O Le Ku, a 1997 movie written by Akinwunmi Isola and directed by Tunde Kelani which featured Yemi Sodimu, Akinwunmi Isola, Lere Paimo, Kola Oyewo, Pauline Dike, and many more. The film focused on Ajani, a philanderer, and poet who dated two women at the same time (Asake, a teacher in secondary school, and Lola, his course mate in the university (the University of Ibadan)). Unfortunately for him, the two ladies were friends. He loved Asake but did not later marry her because of her father (uncle)’s disapproval which was later a regretful action. Ajani ended up marrying a childhood close female friend, Sade. The messages garnered are 1. Parents should not force children to do what they do not want 2. Men should not play women Be careful of advises from people.
- Unfavorable Movies With Negative Messages and Ways Characters Are Portrayed In Movies
As a movie lover who has watched numerous movies, a movie writer (story writer, and scriptwriter (though novice) as well as a film critic that the author of this article has watched unfavorable films that nauseated her. These movies showed some explicit images and sceneries that children must not see or take action in.
Children are Amanah (trust in the Arabic Language) from God, and some of the responsibilities of parents are to guide, discipline children, and protect the children from danger. With this being said, parents must be aware of things that their children do in their presence and absentia. Movies are not an exemption because they are to educate their audience.
Apart from parents having an influence on children, filmmakers, specifically story writers as they are the roots of movies because they come up with the plots and design the scenes and characters used in the films. The ways characters are portrayed in movies matter a lot because actors are also role models and mentors of these children as kids can model anyone. Nigerian filmmakers and actors should be careful with how they behave in society and to others because they should not allow fame and money to affect their relationships with others.
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