By Thompson Taiwo
What
defines us as African is our ‘Africaness’. What differentiates Nigeria from
other black nations, is our ‘Nigerianess’, in terms of our cultural pattern,
ethnic composition, moral feelings and other social realities. These peculiarities,
I believe, should be the fulcrum upon which the fast growing Nigerian film-making industry, Nollywood, rotates. Our movies should appositely represent
who we are, and conform to our necessities, needs and wants. Sadly, however,
reverse is the case. Rather than promoting our national outlook, some
filmmakers in the country unabashedly glamourise and patently espouse the
cultural ideals of the metropolitan countries, thereby, promoting cultural
imperialism.
Cultural
imperialism refers to external influence on receiving cultural system, which
may be imposed or actively invited. A section of film producers in Nigeria, are
guilty of indorsing the worldview of materialism, capitalism, obscenity, individualism
and objectification of women, which are synonymous to Western motion pictures
industry. This negative attitude, consequently,threatens the sanctity of our
identity.
Our
artistes, in an attempt to imitate Hollywood superstars, end up making a
caricature of themselves and, thus misinterpret roles that require local
flavour.Nollywood must learn to be original, like Bollywood.
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