Nollywood is a phenomenon of nature. The necessity of a determined people to create a relatively new ’Visual Imagery’ which had never been seen before then. This not only raised several criticisms in its early days but went on to create a new ’viewing public’, never before seen, that none could ignore. So many people felt it was an aberration of the terminology ’film’, as we know it, but the practitioners were never deterred. They kept their eyes on the ball and ignored all criticisms till the world finally accepted it in the comity of the film world.
Criticisms have been many and far-flung – from the issues of cinematography, production values, budget, acting styles and many more. But despite these, practitioners have been steadfast in their pursuit for excellence in the fast-changing world of style and technology.
But let us take a look at one of the central qualities that define Nollywood today: AESTHETICS. Many ask, what is the aesthetics of films from Nollywood? A lot of people, especially from the Western point of view, have criticized the aesthetics of Nollywood films, claiming it is rather more ’theatrical’, with its slow narration and acting styles, than ’cinematic’, which is more organized in the condensing of time and dramatic action in its approach and treatment. This, without pretenses, is true. That is, if one views it from the Western prism of judgment. But a closer and more holistic look at the issue would do a lot to put things in the right perspective. It is not my duty to determine what is ’RIGHT’ or ’WRONG’ but it will be fundamental to take a journey into time and see the little seeds sown in time that have blossomed to what it is today.
Firstly, let’s not forget our ’oral tradition’. This was embodied in the Yoruba travelling theatre that went from one community to another performing for the people. These performances were unique in their right and the performers greatly utilized their voices as well as their body to communicate through oral poetry (script), dance and performance (plot) and participation of the audience. It was a sort of total theatre. And from this tradition, the seeds of Nigerian drama grew which eventually metamorphosed into Nollywood.
It would be worthy to note that, even in our daily lives, we tend to be ’theatrical’ too. ‘We use our hands and our bodies when we talk. Raise our voices and move differently and more slowly than our brothers in London or New York,’ says the late Nigerian filmmaker, Ladi Ladebo. It could be said that Nigerian filmmakers have tried to consciously and unconsciously ’bridge’ that great divide that separates ’our style of aesthetics’ and the Western idea of it . A sort of ’fine-tuning’, I must say, but this has not also ’blunted’ our cultural ’essentials’ in any way. That is why Nigerian films are slow, acting theatrical, etc. This is simply the way of life (identity) of the people, their culture. Removing it or trying too hard to fine-tune it to fit into Western standards or style of storytelling would mean annihilating our cultural existence. Or so it seems.
And that is the challenge we face as filmmakers, especially as filmmakers from a developing country like Nigeria with its multi-ethnic composition. To dig in a little bit more, let me state that the unconscious world of the African forms the consciousness of his real world, that is, his REALITY. From this unconscious state permeates the world of the UNBORN, ANCESTORS, LIVING AND THE DEAD in CYCLIC ROTATIONS. A world of spirits, the unseen, and the constant battle of discord and harmony with the living conscious human spirit. And this luminous thread is what binds the African worldview together. No matter the tongue, tribe or geographic location, it remains one in truth and universal appeal.
This scenario also leads to the conflict of tradition and change and the constant conflict which it places the individual. His pressure is not only those things he can see, but those he can’t. This is the reason there is so much proliferation of churches, like some will say. A battle between the individual and the cosmic or unseen and society.
Personally, I see NOLLYWOOD as a METAPHOR for the STRUGGLING SPIRIT OF THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN, who is always struggling to survive within the harsh realities of his environment. This can be seen in most of the films we make. The plots are usually woven round a conflict between the individual and another individual or society or norms and values. Then a battle for change ensues. A change which might claim the protagonist (individual) in the process or effect a desired change in norms, style, culture, etc. But wherever the divide falls (victor or vanquished), a statement usually is made.
At times, it could be a conflict between the indigenous ideals and norms (IDENTITY) and the Western ideal or way of life (GLOBALIZATION). This statement is what Nigerian filmmakers are also ’telling’ with their films. Good or bad as they seem to be, it seeks to make the world look at what they (NOLLYWOOD) are doing. And probably give them a chance considering the fact that NOLLYWOOD grew out of necessity and lacks all the necessary structures to take it to the next level, except it gets the unbiased interest it desires.
Films made are of all genres – romance, drama, horror, traditional epics, action, religious, etc. There is no limitation to the imagination. Things are changing today and there has been more professionalism in the art and craft of filmmaking in the Nigerian film industry. The fear now is the constant sway towards Western-themed STYLES in stories and craft, that people fear the possibility of us losing the ’IDENTITY’ that made us unique.
