STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTION OF THE WOMAN IN NOLLYWOOD FILMS

Abstract

Nollywood films are marked by characterology that portrays the man and woman either negatively or positively. Existing studies on the representation of the woman have largely been from the feminist and womanist perspective with inadequate attention paid to stakeholders’ (Nollywood’s audience, practitioners and scholars) perceptions of the portrayal of the woman. This study was, therefore, designed to examine stakeholders’ perception of the woman in Nollywood films, with a view to determining the dominant representation.

Andrej Demuth’s Perception Theory served as the framework, while the survey and interpretive designs were adopted. Nollywood (English, Yoruba and Hausa) film viewers in 20 local government areas in the capitals of the six southwestern states: Ikeja in Lagos (one), Akure in Ondo (three), Abeokuta in Ogun (two), Osogbo in Osun (two), Ado Ekiti in Ekiti (one) and Ibadan in Oyo (11) participated. Copies of a questionnaire were administered to 525 respondents (248 male and 277 female), 25 each from the selected local governments, (except in Lagos where 50 were chosen due to the high population). Interview was conducted with 12 (six male and six female) experienced Nollywood practitioners (two from each state); six (3 male and 3 female) Nollywood scholars (one from each state); and 18 (eight male and 10 female) Nollywood’s audience (three from each state). Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Profession and experience (74.2%) and academic qualification (50.7%) dictate the roles allocated to the woman in Nollywood films. The perception of the woman was that of a perfect mother (68.4%), money lover (58.7%), a second class citizen (54.3%), and a gossip (59.6%). There is no agreement that Nollywood is gender biased because its films advocate that the woman should be seen (60.4%), and her voice should be heard (64.6%). Respondents were of the opinion that the woman is a respectable partner in marriage (62.3%), and a successful (63.0%) but difficult leader (52.8%). Majority were of the opinion that Nollywood films depict the woman as an excellent mother in-law (76.6%), a change agent (68.3%) and an excellent wife (78.6%). The portrayal of the woman in Nollywood films is both negative and positive. The woman is depicted as a violent but sacrificial wife, a bad mother but a faithful employee; she is rebellious, self-centered, a money lover, and a betrayer, even though she is also competent, courageous, a shield for her children, and an instrument of cultural change. While the woman has to resort to diabolical means to establish her identity before now, most films depict the woman as looking into herself for inner strength in order to assert who she is. The woman is not seen as incompetent, weaker sex, bad mother in-law, sex object and solely responsible for barrenness in marriage. Contrary to the widely held notion that only male film directors portray the woman negatively, female directors also portray the woman negatively too.