Culture: Understanding the Place of Film in Promoting and Preserving the African Culture

Nollywood films have presently been made available by content providers to different individuals both home and in the diaspora due to the availability of various new media platforms supported by technology. Due to globalization and the exponential rate at which those in the developing world are embracing western cultures, concerns have been raised as to the future of African cultural heritage. Consequently, this study examined the role of Nollywood films in promoting and preserving the African culture. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) qualitative method was adopted involving 16 discussants. Findings revealed that to some extent, the Nollywood films are used to promote African culture but they do not fully depict the original African culture due to cultural hybridization. Furthermore, findings showed that most films are haphazardly produced neglecting the original African contents. However, it was concluded that as much as these films are originally targeted towards promoting and portraying African cultures, they defeat the whole essence by marrying different cultures. The study thus recommended that priority should be given to local contents as this will make the African culture appear indispensable and important. Conclusively, the study also recommended that filmmakers must conduct thorough research and read extensively about the African culture if they must get it right.