I COMMUNICATING CHANGE and SOCIETAL VALUES in SELECT NIGERIAN HOME MOVIES by OLUOMA STELLA MA/ARTS/4584/2011-2012 BEING a DISSER
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COMMUNICATING CHANGE AND SOCIETAL VALUES IN SELECT NIGERIAN HOME MOVIES BY OLUOMA STELLA MA/ARTS/4584/2011-2012 BEING A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES, ABU ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS, FACULTY OF ARTS, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA. DECEMBER, 2015. i DECLARATION I, declare that this dissertation entitled, Communicating Change and Societal Values in Select Nigerian Home Movies, was written by me, Oluoma Stella of the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria under the supervision of Professor EmmyIkanaba UnujaIdegu and Dr. (Mrs) Victoria Lagwampa. The information derived from the sources of this study has been duly acknowledged in the text and a list of references provided. No part of this dissertation was previously presented for another degree or diploma at any university. Name of student Signature Date ii CERTIFICATION This dissertation entitled Communicating Change and Societal Values in Select Nigerian Home Movies, by Oluoma Stella, meets the regulations governing the award of the degree of Masters of Arts (Development Communication), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and is approved for its contribution to knowledge and literary presentations. Chairman, Supervisory Committee Signature Date Professor Emmy Ikanaba Unuja Idegu Member, Supervisory Committee Signature Date Dr. (Mrs) Victoria Lagwampa Head of Department Signature Date Professor M.I. Umar -Buratai Dean, school of Post- graduate studies Signature Date Professor Kabir Bala iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my late supervisor Professor Jenkeri Zakari Okwori. In spite of the slight variation in our chosen topic, your zeal, commitment and attention to see me through as well as your passion for the department will not be forgotten. Continue to rest in peace. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisors Professor EmmyIkanaba Unuja Ideguand Dr. (Mrs.) Victoria Lagwampa who made the completion of this dissertation a reality. Prof. you stepped in with so much encouragement, dedication, strength and passion. You not only became an academic mentor but a spiritual father, thank you for touching my life in more than one way. For the experience and knowledge impacted on me by my lecturers, especially late professor Jenkeri Zakari Okwori, Professor Sam Kafewo and Dr. Martins Ayegba, I say a big thank you. Your memories will forever linger. To my boss, Barrister Ibrahim Maigari, I offer my sincere appreciation for your understanding and patience through the period of my studies. Fondly remembered are my colleagues, those who fell off the way and those who made it, it was fun being with you all; I wish us God‘s guidance as we journey to the top. To my family a million thanks for always being there. I will choose you all over and over again. v ABSTRACT It is a widely accepted notion that Nollywood movies contain negative content such as drug addiction, armed robbery, sexual immorality, women and child abuse amongst others, which in effect elicit negative reaction from its viewers. These negative reactions often result in negative societal consequences. This research work explores the positive values projected in Nollywood moviesas it relates to different facets of the society and how it by extension promotes societal change. To achieve this, literary materials and select movies were critically analysed against the cultural norm theory of De fleur and Gerbner‘s cultivation theory. On the basis of the theories proposition, the prolonged exposure of viewers to these positive contents will begin to impact positively on such viewers and an adoption of the values will translate into positive societal change. The research attempts to establish that irrespective of the negative content of Nigerian movies, some positive values and norms which when adopted will project positively in different facets of the society also exists in some movies. To reflect this, three (3) movies; The Meeting, Mr. And Mrs, and Half of a Yellow Sun reflecting political, social and historical aspects will be analysed. Qualitative research will be used in other to gain a deep understanding of the values and norms inherent in the select movies. In the course of this research, certain issues were made evident, prominent amongst which is that Nollywood producers are giving more attention to details to ensure they tell the Nigerian story professionally. The researcher recommends among others that Nigerian home movies be maximally explored as a development communication medium. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page - - - - - - - - - - - i Declaration- - - - - - - - - - - ii Certification - - - - - - - - - - - iii Dedication - - - - - - - - - - - iv Acknowledgements- - - - - - - - - - v Abstract- - - - - - - - - - - - vi Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - vii CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. Background to the Study - - - - - - - - - 5 1.2. Statement of the Research Problem- - - - - - - - 9 1.3. Aim and Objectives of the Study- - - - - - - 10 1.4. Research Questions - - - - - - - - - 10 1.5. Scope of the Study - - - - - - - - - 10 1.6. Justification of the Study- - - - - - - - - 11 1.7. Research Methodology - - - - - - - - - 11 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.1. Communication- - - - - - - - - - 18 2.1.1.Change - -- - - - - - - - - - 21 2.1.2. Nollywood - -- - - - - - - - - 24 2.2.0.Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - - - 34 2.2.1.Social Learning Theory - - - - - - - - - 34 vii 2.2.2.Cultural norms Theory - - - - - - - - - 37 2.2.3.Cultivation Theory - - - - - - - - - 40 CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS OF MR AND MRS- - - - 44 3.1. Mr. and Mrs(Synopsis) - -- - - - - - - 44 3.1.1. Representation of Women - -- - - - - - 45 3.1.2. Divergence and Convergence of the Female Character- - - - 57 CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSES OF HALF OF A YELLOW SUN AND THE MEETING4.1. Half of a Yellow Sun(Synopsis) - - - - - - - 77 4.1.1. Revisiting History - - - - - - - 78 4.1.2. Politics of Identity - - - - - - - - - - 90 4.1.3. Elements of Culture - - - - - - - - - - 91 4.1.4.Love as an Instrument of Change- - - - - - - 92 4.2. The Meeting (Synopsis) - - - - - - - 96 4.2.1.Reflecting Society: Change versus Values - - - - - 98 4.2.2.The Issues of Morality - - - - - - - - 108 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECCOMENDATIONS 5.1.Summary - - - - - - - - - - - - - 111 5.2.Research Findings - - - - - - - - - 116 5.3.Recommendations - - - - - - - - - 117 5.4.Conclusion. - - - - - - - - - - - 118 References - -- - - - - - - - - - - 119 viii CHAPTER ONE GENERAL INTRODUCTION The word change has so many meanings depending on the context in which it is used. However, one major point that keeps reoccurring is the move from one state to another. Change in a society refers to an alteration in the social order of the society, it may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social relations. Thus change can refer to any significant alteration over a period of time in behaviour patterns, cultural values and norms. The world today is changing so fast economically, socially, politically and even physically. The argument however is whether the change is for the better or for the worse. This change is made rapid by the increasing new ways of communication especially the media which has increased accessibility to knowledge. This has changed the ways individuals, groups, and societies think, feel, behave, and interact. In spite of the seeming objectives of the new communication mediums, a great deal of fear and outrageous optimism permeates opinions about its attendant negative consequences. This is so because the inundation of too much information is a potential threat to the ability to process which information is actually needed. Film has over the years become a pervasive and ever present entity in our lives, as well as a strong influence for constructing meaning in our everyday live. Social Comparison Theory posits that ―people will [at some point in their lives] compare themselves and significant others to people and images whom they perceive to represent realistic goals to attain‖ (Botta, 1999: 26). ix With the passage of time, we have unconsciously looked up to the media to help us define, explain, and shape the world around us; we make automatic comparisons of ourselves, those close to us, and situations in our lives after seeing images in the media. The result of these comparison is that we are motivated to strive for, and achieve, new found goals and expectations as perceived by us in the films. Films now preside over many daily decisions on the sense of our world and exposes human beings to completely new perspective. It has over time reduced the world to a global village sharing cultures, beliefs, values and history. With our lives influenced by the culture around us, it is impossible for it not to either be positive or negative. However, this is dependent on what we listen to or watch, whichever way, what we do has direct impact on our lives because everything has a direct link to some part of us be it music, media, celebrities, fashion, and even literature. Films when positively constructed have a way of introducing us to creative outlets that can help us better ourselves in different ways, be it in our personal or work lives. It can change our perspective and push us to do more than what we limit ourselves to. It can also help us engage with other people