In Nigerian home videos, women being assigned roles that portray
them negatively has become a prominent feature which has received
unbridled condemnation not only from the feminist circles but also
from men who believe in the sanctity of womanhood. Senior Reporter,
KATE AMAM examines this trend which ensures bad roles for good women.
------------
IT usually happens like this. A woman visits a spiritualists
(Babalawo), gets concoction, drops it in her husbands or boyfriend's
meal, he eats it and, afterwards, drops dead.
This, usually, is one of the routine features of Nigerian home
videos which always assign roles to women which portray them
negatively.
Since its emergence a decade ago, the home video industry has
witnessed a boom in terms of quality and quantity of films churned
out by the practitioners. Besides, it has discovered many talents
and nurtured others. The industry has also promoted ingenuity,
created opportunities for investment, exportation and foreign
exchange. It is estimated that it generates an annual income of over
N5 billion. It is also on record that the National Film and Video
Censors Board (NFVCB), releases about 1000 films annually. Local
movies have gained national and international recognition.
Despite these achievements, critics claim that the industry has also
added another dimension to societal problems, especially on the role
of female artistes. In fact, the hoopla over what is considered as
an uncomplimentary role often assigned to the female artistes which
portray them negatively has generated public condemnation and
campaign for a ban on some categories of local films.
Criticisms have often led to teasers like, the issues of gender
equality and equity. The question agitating the minds of critics is
why some filmmakers cannot produce films that focus on the
violations of the rights of a woman, or highlight the struggles of
most girls to go to school in the face of excruciating burden at
homes, and farms rather than beam their satellite on provocatively
nudity, obscenities and violence.
But how can filmmakers reorient themselves and acknowledge what
critics see as the immense potentials, brilliance, panache and
hardwork of a true Nigerian woman? How can filmmakers use movies to
help "feminize" democracy in the country?
There is, indeed, a growing concern about this issue. At two
different fora recently in Lagos, a film festival symposium and
Movement for Cultural Awareness (MOCA), which organised a one-day
talkshop on the theme: "Nigerian Women and the Politics of
representation in Local Films" the issue was brought to the fore.
The event coincided with activities to mark this years International
Women's Day.
However, watching the local home movies, the first thing that
strikes one is why female artistes almost always are made to play
roles which portray them negatively. Imagine the roles of mothers-in-
law in home videos, widows facing extreme persecution in the
community because of superstition, women in prostitution, women on
the fast lanes of life making it easily, snake making love to a
woman, among others. Everything reflects negativity.
The influence of these ugly scenes on viewers could only be
imagined. It becomes more worrisome for majority of viewers who
cannot differentiate between the make-belief world of movies and
real life. The question on their lips is: how a Nigerian woman is?
For instance, films like Glamour Girls II, Nneka, the Pretty
Serpent, Prostitution, Domitilla, Shattered Home, Out Cast and
others have been outrightly condemned because of the negative roles
which female actresses are made to play.
Viewers have expressed disgust about these uncomplimentary roles, at
the expense of our culture and traditions. They argue that local
films do not portray the Africaness in a women but copy foreign
films, outdated cultures. They also opine that the uncomplimentary
roles of these actress undermine the lofty virtues of the African
woman, especially in other spheres of life.
Given the prevailing ugly trend about the role of women, what really
is the place of women in the local home movies?
Some discussants and observers have attempted to address this
problem.
Participants at the talkshop noted that a film is a powerful tool
designed to inform and sensitise the public. Therefore, they
condemned the ways most actresses are portrayed which tend to
reinforce negative stereotypes. They agree that a film, as an aspect
of art or literature which is a mirror that reflects the
contradictions of society is meant to raise public awareness on the
problems facing women. But in contrast, they say local filmmakers
have often exaggerated what is happening in the society. The
discussants suggested that films should be used to articulate
women's issues especially those that touch on the women's role in
the socio-economic development of the country.
The participants tasked filmmakers to re-orient themselves
professionally and recognise the importance of culture as a vehicle
for women's positive self-esteem.
They emphasised the need to dignify and position women for positive
roles so that they can make more meaningful contributions to the
success of the family and the country.
This position was corroborated by the Director-General, National
Centre for Women Development, Abuja, Mrs. Esther Mangzha in a paper
entitled: "Gender Empowerment: The role of the film industry." She
condemned the attitude of local filmmakers in portraying women
negatively. She said local movies promote Nigerian women as a
criminal-minded person, money-spending dependant. According to her,
the Nigerian movies have perfected scenes which depict an image of
Nigerian women being symbolized "as a crying or fainting person or a
romance-crazy epicurean."
She added "in some cases the Nigerian women have been portrayed as
that half-baked personality whose only asset is "bottom-power". It
was her view that home movies depict stories of mothers-in-law and
wives relationship; on how friends intervene in marriages only to
break the peace in happy homes; on the experience of widowhood; the
courtship towards marriage and the hard experience of romance. "Not
that these stories have not been taken by the film audience in
Nigeria and other parts of the world, the issue is how the
challenges of day-to-day living are resolved by "solutions" provided
by the native doctor or diviner.." she noted.
Mrs. Magzha equally condemned a particular advert on a brand of
toilet soap where women were portrayed as sexual objects with half
of their bodies exposed, while their male counterparts were properly
clothed. She said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth
Development waded into the issue and it was withdrawn due to its
negative influence and owners of the adverts quickly covered up the
nakedness of the girls.
Mrs. Mangzha noted that Nigerian women are successful managers of
household crises, grandmothers who impact the family values of
unity, love and peace, true reconciliation with objective judgement
and rectitude. She queried why filmmakers have not thought of doing
films on women like: Francesca Emmanuel, Margaret Ekpo, Chief (Mrs.)
Tejuoso, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Queen Amina of Zauzau, among
others.
She urged filmmakers to capture topical issues of gender importance
and disseminate the positive values through movies; the impact to
contribute, the effort to mobilise the Nigerian women towards
empowerment as well as to sensitise Nigerians to appreciate the
burden of the Nigerian women and empower them to become full
partners in our developmental endeavours and advance the women in
her roles to the 21st century.
In a radical approach to the problem, the executive director
Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Mrs. Rosaline Odeh,
has since she assumed office, consistently fought against negative
portrayal of women in the film industry.
In a bid to sanitise the industry, she once suspended some
producers, banned some movies. She has consistently called for
public cooperation and from the National Council of Women's
Societies (NCWS), in her campaign to ensure a better and viable film
industry in the country.
She condemned films that tend to denigrate womanhood or films where
girls appear and dance nude in musicals, to entice men for the love
of money. She said films with nude posters, depravity and decadence
were giving the country a bad image.
Speaking, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Badejo, Communications Director,
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Lagos, while appraising the
situation put the problem on the society, churches, mosques and
homes.
According to Fr. Badejo, the society is decayed and the churches and
mosques are not doing enough. Parents have left their works undone.
People are interested in money, money, money. People want to look
fine. But people are worried on what to be done to stop the trend."
Rev. Badejo said the devil has taken advantage of the innate desire
of women, but cautioned that the urge to get quick money might turn
out to be a curse on women's integrity. He pointed out that such
negative roles no doubt, were against the interest of womanhood;
noting that if not for material things, there were no needs to be
indecent in order to be there.
Corroborating Fr. Badejo's view, Dr. (Mrs.) Ronke Ogunmakin,
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) deputy director, research and
planning, said there are so many negative portrayal of tenable
artistes which do not give respect to womanhood in our cultural
context.
She said NBC's commitment is for women to be given their rightful
roles as well as respect, adding "we talk so much on African family
values and if you train a woman, you train a nation. You cannot give
them negative concepts and you accept them to be. No! It is
unaccepted in Africa and globally. NBC does not support any negative
picture on air."
In a similar manner, Mr. Lekan Ajia, UNICEF Communication Officer
and former NBC Public Affairs Officer, said some female artistes
have, due to the economic problems in the country, accepted roles
that debase womanhood.
He said some people copy wrong things in the name of entertainment
and cautioned that "we need to change our orientation. It's
worrisome because it is a debasement of womanhood."
However, a popular producer, Zeb Ejiro, stated that "moves are a
reflection of what is happening in the society," pointing out
that "consumers want it as it is happening."
He explained that his moves Goodbye Tomorrow, Mortal Inheritance,
were very socially relevant and won accolades, but claimed that they
recorded poor commercial success. He said moves with little social
values like: Domitilla, Glamour Girls II and so on that were
sensational made a marvellous good commercial success.
Mr. Ejiro remarked that while soaps are to correct societal ills,
videos are mainly for business and profit is the driving end.
"We are first businessmen and, as such, our first consideration is
profit-making than art for its sake."
Speaking also, Eucharia Anunobi Egwu, a controversial artistes, who
has generated some furore from the public because of some of her
negative roles enjoined the public to see it as acting which is make-
believe, claiming that her ability to play such negative roles
convincingly to viewers proves that she is a good artiste.
She said: "I'm not bothered. Maybe I have a liberal mind. My ability
to carry viewers along means I am a good artistes. I know I am good.
You see, a society that remains static moves nowhere... I got to do
what I got to do. If you are not doing it well, nobody is going to
talk. I'm doing my job very, very well.
And maybe; if they were not talking I wouldn't get the credit I got.
I believe life is dynamic and people should try to change along with
it."
An international actor, Olu Jacobs, explained that negative scenes
are part of what is happening in the society but advised government
to regulate whatever comes out. "There is nothing wrong with females
playing negative roles, there is no story we are telling that is not
true . It is a way of life, but not the only one we have. Negative
scenes can be very artistic if done with decency because it is part
of life. What is acting, acting is depicting life. But sometimes we
exaggerate... But there has to be regulation," he said.
Another popular actor, Clement Ohaneze, wondered aloud "what do you
mean by negative roles to female actresses. It depends on how you
portray it. There is nothing like negative roles. These artistes are
portraying some characters and certain vices. There is nothing wrong
with it. Society is well informed that acting is make-believe."
Daily Champion
I personally think that those ugly scenes of women are way to exagerative, all dis babalawo, prostitiotion haba dem no show our good sides, someborry got to stop dem jare. African women are not bad as they portray dem, they should let the lifes of great nigerian women like bimbo odukoya, dora akunyili, kudirat abiola inspire them in their movieThey bera start showing and recognizin us b4 i catapult dem head
.
Linear Mode
