Audience Perception of Nollywood Films

Abstract

The stimulus providing the drive into the writing of the article titled: audience perception of Nollywood Films in Nigeria arises as a result of the severe perceptual criticism about Nollywood Films even to the point of suggesting that the product of the industry should be of no use. Thus, this article is written after an empirical study to expose how the severe perceptual criticism for and against Nollywood can be harnessed towards the improvement of Nollywood as an art. The method used in gathering and interpreting data is multi-stage cluster sampling and multiple regression as well as Pearson Product Moment Correlation analyses of audience perception reflected in their critical views of Nollywood. As the findings of the article have revealed, in spite of Nollywood’s perceived negative themes, poor plotting and poor sound quality, audience members of Nollywood do generally have positive perception of Nollywood. However, critical views about Nollywood are welcome since not everybody accepts Nollywood. Nollywood has been adjudged to be the third largest class of movie globally. Consequently, it constitutes a mass culture which should not be ignored. Nollywood today generates significant revenue in Nigeria. However, not every mass culture is good as it may be an avenue for the elite to exploit the masses. As a symbol of our existence, Nollywood therefore, has the power to create and destroy Nigerian image at home and abroad. Thus, despite the critical views about the movies it produces. The different critical views about Nollywood can be harnessed towards improving the status of the industry as an art.

LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 8(1), 259-271, 2011