INTERSECTING NOLLYWOOD, CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT IN UGEZU J.UGEZU’S FILM; KING ABOVE GODS

Abstract

The role of Nollywood in transmitting cultural values and portraying ideological postures within the African environment cannot be overemphasized. Since 1992 when its first film, apparently Kenneth Nnebue’s Living in Bondage, was released, the industry has been preoccupied with the reflection of various aspects of Nigerian socio-cultural life, including values, economic engagements, language, food, clothing, arts, and belief systems. The industry has also played a significant role in reflecting the Nigerian environment by showcasing numerous settings across geographical locations, such as vegetation, aquatic bodies, habitations, and aerospace. Notwithstanding the avalanche of films delving into cultural and environmental subjects, scholarship has not been done to highlight the connection between Nollywood, culture, and environment. This study therefore evaluated the correlation between Nollywood, culture, and environment, revealing how societal values, identities, and environmental consciousness are reflected and shaped by the Nigerian film industry. The study was anchored on the dual theoretical frameworks of structuralism and the African Eco-Media theory to qualitatively analyze Ugezu J. Ugezu’s film titled King Above Gods (2018). Among its findings were the fact that Nollywood serves as a lens through which culture and environment interrelate. The study also discovered that, through streaming algorithms, Nollywood amplifies cultural and environmental impacts. It is therefore recommended that relevant stakeholders in cultural and environmental discourse should integrate film as a critical resource instrument