CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Over the years, Nigerian films or movies have become extremely popular among Nigerians at home and abroad and a growing number of foreigners too have developed great love for Nigerian movies. Through these movies Nigerians are experiencing a cultural tie worldwide. However, the growing influence of the Western media and the concept of globalization seem to be creating a transition of Nigerian culture to the Western culture, especially in the urban areas and cities Mgbejume (1989). Most of the films shown in commercial theatres are meant primarily to entertain and they are fictional rather than factual and where they are based on facts, events that have actually happened are dramatized. Many entertainment films duel on sex, crime, rituals and so on but film like ‘half of a yellow sun’ tells about war, loyalty, brutality, and love in modern Africa. While painting a searing portrait of the tragedy that took place in Biafra during the 1960s. Film is a unique means of communication, its visual bias gives it a universal appeal and impact. Film plays important roles in the development and unity of any groups of people, ethnicity, and race as a nation or country. It is a veritable tool of national development and unity. One of the key areas in which film perform is in the realm of culture. Film is a purveyor of culture. It helps to preserve the culture of a people from eroding away( http://filminnaija.blogspot.com.ng). Culture is the totality of the ways of life of a group of people, nation or tribe including their food, costumes, dressing, music, marriage and burial practices etc and it is the bedrock of the essence of being of a people. (Tunde Oladunjoye in April 18, 2004) “Cannes Film Festival Knocks, Where is Nigeria?” retraced and emphasizes the role film plays in cultural promotion when he says “I am not aware of any nation that has been able to achieve development and unity without proactive promotion of its essential cultural components” and this is true because culture is an integral aspect of the life of a people. According to Ekwuazi (1991), the film is a cultural index, a cultural reflector, a socializing agent and therefore the instrument of unity to the nation. He further explains that the film constitutes an industry whose production is directly ideological. What this means is that the film, in this case, home video projects what it seeks to communicate to its audience, what it seeks to sell, what it wants its audience to understand and what it wants its audience to imbibe. This is why it is pertinent to review the home video as an image of unity for Nigeria. Wale Adenuga further opines that as “film is a popular culture and as expected, it must mirrorize, recreate and tell stories of the societies in which it subsists. The Nigerian film industry is no exception. Film plays a vital role in social mobilization and information. Film is used to popularize government policies and ideologies amongst the masses. Owing to its ability to hold a captive audience films are used more than any other means of mass communication to promote ideas of positive social transformation as well as to consolidate and build new relationship between culture and national unity and development for example, the National Orientation Agency and the Ministry of Information and Culture uses films to promulgate awareness on issues such as the HIV/AIDS endemic, anti-corruption, poverty alleviation, etc. It is a tool of national mobilization, unity, a sign of national autonomy and a means of the preservation of heritage and sovereignty