NOLLYWOOD

Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, has grown to become the second-largest film industry in the world in terms of volume, producing thousands of movies annually and distributing them across Africa and beyond. Its rapid expansion, since the 1990s, has transformed it into a cultural powerhouse, contributing not only to the Nigerian economy but also to the global perception of Nigeria. This transformation has sparked significant interest in Nollywood’s potential as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, whereby films act as tools for communicating national values, traditions, and identity to international audiences¹. The concept of cultural diplomacy involves the strategic use of a nation’s cultural assets to promote mutual understanding, enhance its image, and strengthen diplomatic relations with other countries. Historically, nations have deployed art, music, literature, and cinema as tools to achieve soft power objectives. In Nigeria’s case, Nollywood represents a powerful cultural export capable of influencing international opinion and projecting a positive image of the country. By depicting everyday life, cultural traditions, and societal challenges, Nollywood offers global audiences nuanced insights into Nigerian society²

The purpose of this study is to examine how Nollywood Films can be used to promote 'Family Values'. Nigeria, as we know it is a country blessed with diverse culture. Whatever be the differences, there are societal norms and values that are generally acceptable by everyone. This study shows how Nollywood films have assumed an important role as part of every family in Nigeria. In today's society, people tend to pick up different traits from what they see in movies and it is against this backdrop, that the researcher, adopts the historical, descriptive and analytical approaches as the method of reflecting on how the video films in Nigeria affect and influence its viewers, either positively or negatively. The work has shown that most Nigerian Home Videos do not portray any traditional African values and that the movies do not safeguard traditional African values like honesty, hospitability, modesty etc. There is too much display of immorality (Nudity, prostitution etc) and other negative vices in the Home movies. To portray how Nollywood films can be used in promoting family values, a sample of three films were collected and carefully analyzed, noting relevant points as portrayed in the Films. It concludes by canvassing the government and other stakeholders in movie production to look into the potential of the Nollywood film industry in redressing contemporary social challenges and promoting cultural norms and values.