Nollywood and Telenovelas.

The entertainment industry of Nigeria, often referred to as Nollywood. Prior to this class, the influence television had on its audience never crossed my mind. But reflecting on Nigerian cinema, I have come to realize that television impacts the personal lives of its audience in so many ways and in different aspects of their lives.

Like telenovelas, a traditional type of Nigerian film almost always included a love story. But of course with different traditions comes different tales. Like the telenovelas, the female protagonist was always dirt poor, and had a horrible life while the male protagonist was the one that was rich and noble. In these stories, it was apparent that the female protagonist and prince would fall in love, but the drama was whether or not they would be able to be together because of things like family obligations and tradition. 

With the 60s came rebellion and the gaining of Nigeria’s independence. During this time, the purpose of film was to inform the viewers about the state of the country. It would often be exaggerated but existing issues relating to the Nigerian government such as corruption and lack of law enforcement. With the 90s and early 2000s came entertainment that reminded people that if you dream it, you can achieve it. For examples, shows like Jenifa and Tinsel, showed the struggle of individuals that started out poor and became rich and issues where the antagonist would do everything in their power to strip them of their achievements and money. The one thing these tv shows have in common through the decades are that they always end happily and the good guy comes out on top. 

The similarities and differences I was able to spot between the two cultures have peaked my interest and the connection to the audience make me even more excited to learn and watch telenovelas more than ever before.