ifeanyi adigwe

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CULTURAL IMPERIALISM IN THE NIGERIANHOME VIDEO INDUSTRY

IFEANYI ADIGWELAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION

[email protected] ABSTRACT

This study focuses on cultural imperialism in Nigerian home video. Itsattempts to look at what cultural imperialism is all about, it impact andeffect on Nigerian home video. The notion of cultural imperialism asone of the key concepts of the modern culture and as the maincharacteristics of the cultural development in global terms. We canassert that one of the main implications of cultural imperialism is that this concept proposes that a society is brought into the modern worldsystem, when its dominating stratum, pressured, forced andsometimes birded into shaping its social institutions to correspond toor even promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system. The problem associated with cultural imperialism is really that of covetousness i.e not appreciating what is your own whilecraving for others. This study sets out to investigate the influence of cultural imperialism on Nigerian culture with respect to Nigerian Homevideo. This study attempted to proffer solutions to the followingquestions; firstly what is the implication of cultural imperialism in theNigerian Home Video? Secondly, to what extent, can culturalimperialism integrate and influence Nigeria culture? Finally, how can

cultural imperialism influence the projection of Nigerian Home video? As a matter of fact, the responses obtained from the interview: TundeKelani, and Kingsely Ogoro, would help to evaluate the relevance of our culture in Nigerian videos as against cultural imperialism. Thestudy employs the international communication dependency theory,cultural globalization and reception theory as the theoreticalframework. From the study it can be affirmed that the importation of foreign culture to Nigerian is evident in our home video and as a result of that there is a high level of acceptance of foreign cultures thereby eroding our culture. It could be argued that the implication posed by the implication of cultural imperialism on Nigerian movie is on the

verge of flooding our culture completely if care is note taken.

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CHAPTER ONE

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

In this age of information and communication technologies, it is quite

unrealistic to think that cultures will be isolated and that there will be no

cross-cultural influence of any kind what is, however, important is the

safeguarding of the cultures of nations and societies that clearly are at the

receiving and of this global information order.

Interestingly, in this era of rapid social and technological change leading

to increase life complexity and psychological displacement, both positive

and negative effects call for a balance. It is believed that cultural

imperialism is a vague, undefined term that has recently come into vague,

primarily in revolutionary circles. Despite the ambiguous cliche quality of

the phrase it is of the upmost importance for understanding relations

between developed and underdevelopment from the economic to political

and correctly call it an example of cultural imperialism. All depend on the

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importation of foreign ideas, technology, and institutions from

development countries with no thought for their appropriateness to the

underdevelopment countries.

According to Tomlison (1971), the term cultural imperialism emerged in

the 1960s to widely examine the unequal power distribution among

countries in the world. Cultural imperialism, as a critical approach,

inherits the tradition of political economy of the Frankfurt school.

Schiller in Noh (2001) submit that cultural imperialism is the sum of the

process by which a society is brought into a modern world system and

how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced and sometimes

bribed into shaping society institutions to correspond to, or even

promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system.

Kraidy (2005) charges such a definition confuses a socioeconomic

process with a cultural one. As Tomlinson (1991) points out, the

complexity of cultural imperialism most likely derived from the

combination of two problematic words culture and imperialism. The term

culture is broadly defined as the way of life; and imperialism is originally

concerned with political and economic systems. Since the term contains

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two complicated concepts, it is not easy to clearly understand and theorize

cultural imperialism. Thus, Tomlinson proposes to look at the way the

term has been used in a variety of discursive contexts (p.8).

At the initial stage in the sense of European colonialism, cultural

imperialist scholars focused on subordinate. In the past, western countries

colonized Asian, African, and Latin America countries with their military

power and established the dominate subordinate relationship politically

and economically. Given the situation, Wallersten in Noh (2001) raises

the notion of a world-system. He argues that the west became the core of

the world, while others became the periphery. The world-system exists to

benefit only the core. Schiller in Noh (2001) also states, in the modern

world economy, the developmental process is viewed and applied as the

means by which the class structure of the core is replicated in the

periphery. Modernization is thus equated with the westernization in the

third world.

Tomlinson (1991) declares, colonized countries must depend on the

dominant countries economically, politically and culturally. Meanwhile,

in the late twentieth century, the paradigm of cultural imperialism shifted.

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Cultural domination became differentiated from economic and political

domination.

Nowadays the development of cultural imperialism seems to be so rapid

and over whelming that often specialist speak about that this are simply

unable to resist to the influence of the hegemonic culture from the west as

it spread as fast as globalization involves more and more countries into

the new economic formation and new relations.

Even now it is possible to observe a significant impact of American

culture on national cultures in many developing countries of the world, as

well as developed ones. This impact is particular obvious in the sphere of

television cinema and music in this respect, it is possible to refer to the

experience of African countries, Nigeria in particular are also susceptible

to the impact of American culture and where this impact is probably more

obvious than anywhere else in the world because many African countries

are characterized by very particular cultures and traditions that have

made unique in cultural sense and now they are gradually losing their

uniqueness as the role of American culture grows in the local

communities.

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Naturally the process of the global spread of American culture and its

growing impact on other cultures results in the growing resistance of local

national cultures to such a kind of expansion. As it has been already

mentioned above the increased role of American culture resulted in the

development of nationalism in local communities and spread of different

extreme of movements, which attempt to resist to the overwhelming

influence of American culture and Americanization at large.

Conversely, the contemporary world is characterized by unparalleled

progress that affects all sphere of life. Traditionally, economic

development is considered to be one of the moving forces that stimulates

the development in other sphere of life. However, nowadays some

researchers underline that the cultural development is not less significant

the economic one and it is also extremely important for harmonic

development of human society: At the same time, the current process of

globalization that was initially a purely economic process is threaten to

involve all other spheres of human life including politics and culture. As a

result the problem of not only economic but also cultural expansion has

become evident in recent years. Naturally, such a development leads to

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the situation when one culture, notably American culture, gets stated to

dominate all over the world influence, dramatically national culture of

other counties. In response to such a combination of economic, political

and cultural expansion different states, national communities attempt to

sustain their own culture and traditions regardless the impact of the US

that often leads to the spread of nationalism and cultural imperialism from

the part of different countries.

Nonetheless, nowadays the role of the US in the world seems to be too

significant that makes the resistance of other nations and states weak, if

not say useless. This is why it is necessary to trace the recent trends in the

world cultural development as well as economic one and to find out the

extent, to which cultural imperialism is spread in the world.

Speaking about the recent trends in the socio-cultural and economic

development of the world, it is primarily necessary to underline that

nowadays the world has changed dramatically basically because of the

development of new economic system which is the result of the economic

globalization.

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John Tomlism who develops the notion of cultural imperialism as one of

the key concepts of the modern culture and as the main characteristics of

the cultural development in global terms. It is necessary to underline that

there are a number of terms that defined practically similar phenomenon

that has been just defined above as cultural imperialism for instance

Boyd-Barrettin Nok (2001) speaks about media imperialism:, Galtung in

Nok (2001) employs the term structural imperialism. At this juncture it is

possible to say that one of the main implications of cultural imperialism is

that this concept proposes that a society is brought into the modern world

system, when its dominating stratum, pressured, forced and sometimes

birded into shaping its social institutions to correspond to or even

promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system

(S. Chiller in Nok, 2001).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Does cultural imperialism influences Nigeria culture through its movies

industry? Cultural imperialism for an independent nation is only possible

with the consent of the receiving nation. Therefore, it is a matter of choice

even though, Africa borrows the hardware (media technology), it does not

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have to borrow the software (media content and programme). The

continent has control over this and should make a choice.

Unfortunately, there is limited flow of information (of whatever Kind)

between the peripheral countries, and this is helping the syndrome of

dependency. The fact of the matter is that despite independence,

peripheral countries still largely, see the American-European lifestyles as

the models and ideas of civilization. There is little or no appreciation of

one peripheral country by the other. This is contradistinction to the

postualations of Koshevar (1983) and Rosengren 1974 cited by Salawu

(2006) that the existence of economic and political relations (as well as

geographic and cultural propinquity) between countries is associated with

more equitable news exchange relations embedded in news exchange is

the cultural exchange.

Meanwhile, this problem is really that of covetousness i.e not appreciating

what is your own while craving for others. The African Youth most

especially Nigeria Youth sees their own language and culture as primitive.

He craves for things western. He craves to think, to talk, to act, and to

live like the American/European without African knowing, all his life has

been affected by the American/European lifestyle. This would not have

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been much of a problem, if what the Africa has allowed and just cultural

juxtaposition, rather he subjects himself, unwritingly, to cultural

imperialism.

This study sets out to investigate the influence of cultural imperialism on

Nigerian culture with respect to Nigerian Home video.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study tends to ascertain the influence of cultural imperialism in the

Nigeria Home video.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the implication of cultural imperialism in the Nigerian

Home Video?

2. To what extent, can cultural imperialism integrate and influence

Nigeria culture?

3. How can cultural imperialism influence the projection of Nigerian

Home video?

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1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will serve as a yardstick for future research on cultural

imperialism and the likes. More so, this study stands to benefit the society

in that it will provide insights of the implications of cultural imperialism

on Nigeria culture via our movie industries.

In the same way, considering the fact that one important consequence of

the merging of the external component of imperialism which is still being

filled in the neo-colonial setting by the reality of dependency and

economic restructuring and the local component of imperialism, is that is

now difficult to continue to see imperialism strictly as an external

imposition. However, this study provides an immunization of cultural

imperialism over Nigerian culture, as it is imperative for us (Nigerians) to

have control over the influence of cultural imperialism even though we

borrow the hardware (media technology, it is not necessary to borrow the

software (media content and programme).

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

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This study focuses mainly on 2 top movies producers in Nigeria, in order

to give concrete proposition examining cultural imperialism as truly the

wheel that stirs our culture through its movie industry.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was exposed to many limitations first, money was the first

limitation to this study. Also time was another known limitation to this

study, as the stipulated time for this study was not enough for analyze and

state the influence of cultural imperialism on Nigeria culture via our

movie industry.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. INFLUENCE: The effect that somebody or something has on the

way a person thinks or behaves or on the way something works or

develops

2. CULTURAL IMPERIALISM: Is a term that implies a deliberate

attempt to dominate, invade or subvert the cultural space of others

and suggest a degree of coercion in the relations.

3. CULTURE: refers to as a total way of life of people living in a

locality or a territory.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

2.1.1 What Is Cultural Imperialism?

John Tomlism who develops the notion of cultural imperialism as one of

the key concepts of the modern culture and as the main characteristics of

the cultural development in global terms. It is necessary to underline that

there are a number of terms that defined practically similar phenomenon

that has been just defined above as cultural imperialism for instance

Boyd-Barrettin Nok (2001) speaks about media imperialism:, Galtung in

Nok (2001) employs the term structural imperialism. At this juncture it is

possible to say that one of the main implications of cultural imperialism is

that this concept proposes that a society is brought into the modern world

system, when its dominating stratum, pressured, forced and sometimes

brided into shaping its social institutions to correspond to or even

promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system

(S. Chiller in Nok, 2001).

Imperialism on the cultural front, is about relationships, the unequal

exchange of cultural products and the superi-mposition of and imperial

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over a dependent value system. It is about an objectionable process of

acculturation that rationalizes the erosion of elements of the recipient

culture.

Probably one of the reason why the subject of cultural imperialism has

attracted considerable interest is the implication that it has for the kind of

citizens a country produces. Oyeneye and Shoremi (1985:3) argue that

apart from shaping the personality of individuals within society, culture

serves to control their behaviour and moderate inter-personal relationships

within the group setting.

In the same way, if Nigerian culture is increasingly being infiltrated by

elements of various foreign cultures, the shape and character of

imperialism also becoming less prove to a standard definition. A number

of failure are responsible for this on the political, economic, technological

(and cultural) fronts, Nigeria, like other developing countries, is finding

itself increasingly woven into an international arrangement that

emphasizes varying degrees of dependencies.

Films can be seen as cultural products. To understand international trade

of these cultural products it is necessary to reveal how industries and

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markets operate and evolve, further more analyzing the influence of

industry structure, government policies and global economic conditions.

International trade allows expanding markets to become certainly larger

than the domestic one, and as a result the consumer has the possibility to

choose within a greater variety of goods and to take advantage from lower

prices. Films are part of each culture, still, films are products, first of all

produced and sold to make profits.

However, in cultural terms we can say that nowadays the cultural

imperialism is expressed through the development and spread of the

influence of certain cultures worldwide. It is noteworthy that nowadays,

there is actually one hegemonic state, the US, which spread its cultural

impact all over the world and the problem of Americanization of the

world culture is very important and in some countries it leads to internal

conflict between local historical traditions and modern impact of the

American culture on the local community. In this respects, it should be

said that many specialist, including Tomlinson, underline the role of

media in the development of cultural imperialism that nowadays

practically in cultural hegemony of the US. In fact the role of media in the

contemporary society should not be underestimated because the modern

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technologies especially information technology and computing,

development of internet, made media very influential ideological and a

cultural tool. The main reason of such increase role of media is the high

level of informatization of human society, when people are getting

information twenty-four hours a day, seven ways a week, and in future

this trend would be even stronger. As a result, people are dramatically

influenced by the information they receive from the media, and very often

they get acquitted with an absolutely new lifestyle that is brought to them

via media. Eventually, it leads to the situation when new generations,

especially in developing countries, are influenced by media, are often

internationalized, to exert that the lifestyle they learn from media comes

into clashes with their traditional culture. Not surprising that in such a

situation the local culture can also tend to cultural imperialism that is

basically expressed in the development of nationalist ideas, which

deliberately underline the difference of local culture from the culture,

which is nowadays considered to be predominant in the whole world. In

other words, cultural imperialism results in the enforcing of nationalism

and extremism. Actually, Tomlinson explain the cultural loss basically by

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the lack of cultural coherence and, moreover, the cultural loss is as a

result of globalization.

2.1.2 THE GENESIS OF MOVIE PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

Ola Balogun and Hubert Ogunde are considered the pioneers of the

industry. They made the first films in the 1960s. So even though films

werent popular back then, and Nigeria had just gotten her independence

and all, structures were still being put in place; structures which included

broadcasting stations. A lot of smart people went into small-film and

theatre production, broadcasting their videos through these stations. This

is how an informal market for home video films began to develop. Before

then, it was mainly Clark Gable movies on black and white.

In 1992 Nek Video Links an outfit owned by Kenneth Nnebue from the

Eastern part of Nigeria in a city called Onitsha, in Anambra took the

opportunity in this era and released a box-office smash movie titled,

Living in Bondage. This is the movie that finally gave the Nigerian movie

industry the definition that it sought for decades.

After Living in Bondage, all of a sudden, everybody wanted to be a film

producer. If Kenneth Nnebue could do it, anybody can! And so the

movies piled up. There was Evil Passion, Taboo, Nneka the Pretty

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Serpent, and Rattlesnake. However, the industry was owned exclusively

by the Igbos as they are renowned for took it as a business, which it is,

and turned it into a money maker. Most of the movies of the time were

made in Igbo language with English subtitles. The industry exploded, and

today Nigerian movies are marketed all across Africa and to the rest of the

world.

As time went by, lesser movies were made with Igbo and more with

English. It helped to expand the market further, but I wouldnt go as far as

saying that it was the primary reason for the markets expansion. Look at

India for instance, they have practically all their movies made in Hindi,

and no one took notice of them then. Now, we cant get enough of them.

And they still make their movies in Hindi. This isnt the case with

Nollywood, when they expanded, they sold out, and now you can hardly

see a movie made in Igbo, but you can see a lot of Yoruba movies now.

Though, theyre not as main-stream as Igbo produced movies. It is mainly

watched by just the Yorubas. The Northerners as well, also make their

movies primarily in Hausa.

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In 2003, a film titled Osuofia in London, produced and directed by

Kingsley Ogoro was among the first Nigerian films to attain international

recognition. The film was a spin off from an old Nollywood movie called,

Ikuku where a comedic character called Osuofia, played by the famous

Nigerian actor-comedian Nkem Owoh is adapted from. Ogoro got Owoh

to play the role in his movie, and it went berserk!

Another guy who made a name for himself in Nollywood is Chico Ejiro,

who once bragged that he can complete a film production in three days!

They guy actually directed over 80 movies in an 8 year period. That ought

to be a record! Chico Ejiro also has his brother, Zeb Ejiro doing the

directing thing, and theyre both forces to reckon with, in the industry.

They are like Tony and Ridley Scott in Nigeria.

2.1.3 BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA AND CULTURAL

DEPENDENCY

At the very beginning of Nigerian broadcasting system, ownership was

shared between the governments and all foreign companies that

constructed and assumed the early management of the systems. In lieu of

the above statement Uche (1998:76) remarked that the consequence of

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foreign ownership and construction of broadcasting system was that these

foreign owners defined the concept of broadcasting and media

management in Nigeria. He submits that this was primarily based upon

the operative norms in the home countries which became the cultural

referents in their programme preferences and priorities.

Most of the issues surrounding global mass communication are directly

indirectly linked to the thesis of cultural imperialism or media

imperialism. Boyd-Barrett (1977:117-118 cited by Salawu, 2006) sees

cultural imperialism as:

the process whereby the ownership, structure, distribution

or content of the media in any one country are singly or

together subject to substantial external pressures from the

media interested of any other country or countries without

proportionate reciprocation of influence by the country so

affected.

The absence of reciprocation of media influence by the

affected country combines both the element of cultural

invasion by another power and the element of imbalance of

power resources between the countries concerned.

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The two element of invasion and imbalance of power

resources justify the use of the term imperialism.

Proponents of cultural imperialism have argued that the dominant nations

have deliberate policies of invading or flooding cultural space of the

peripheries. They contend that the cultural central nations go to the

extent of introducing legislations to write off the cost of companies

importing programmes to dependent nations as long as the companies

programmes for oversees markets promote the best cultural ideals of their

societies.

However, Guback (1984) gave a confession about these transactions, and

Uche (1989:77) quoted him copiously:

In 1948, the (USA) federal government established the

information media Guaranty programme to encourage

export printed matter and theatric films to soft currency

areas from which companies had difficulty repatriating

their revenues. The government agreed to buy with

dollars certain foreign currencies earned by U.S media

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companies, provided the materials exported reflected the

best elements of American life.

Uche, further, let us into Gubacks account:

American export of media materialsas well as the

resulting cultural dominance and dependency relations

that frequently exist, must be constructed as an economic

and political manifestation of a monopolistic, market-

dominated media system. Because the united state is a

powerful country, it exert influenceover the cultural life

of other nations. U.S motion pictures account for only 6

or 7 percent of all feature films made annually in the

world, but they occupy about half world box office

receipts. Us television programmes are show in just about

every country, and our news agencies dominate global

news flow of the worlds three largest music and

phonograph record operations, two are American, and

they probably control almost a fifth of the world market

for recorded music.

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Gubacks account is actually reflected in the television programming in

Nigeria. A leading UNESCO study of the 1970s showed that Nigeria

imported about two-thirds of her national television programmes from

abroad (UNESCO, 1974). The situation has not changed completely

today. The private television stations are not helping matters. Some of the

stations are more American then the American. Even when the

programmes are locally produced, the formats contents would be largely

foreign.

2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A theory offers an account of what is; how it works, what it produces or

causes to happen and what should be case.

Wood (1997) submits that theories are human constructions-symbolic

ways we represent phenomena. In the vein, Schranm in Folarin (2002)

describes a theory as a crap-detector which enables us to separate

scientific statements from unscientific ones.

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This study shall adopt the dependency media theory model of:

International communication. Dependency, model of cultural

Triangulation:

2.2.1 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION DEPENDENCY

Mowlana (1985) in Salawu (2006) submits that the process enunciated in

this model is dependent on two kinds of expertise one relating to

hardware the other software production hardware includes camera,

studios, printing plants computer etc production software included not

only actual content items but also performance rigits management,

professional norms and routine operating practices of media organization.

Multilateral Flow

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Country and

National FlowTransmission

Reception effort

Change effect

Country X Bilateral flow

Country Z


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Source: Mowlana,1985. Dependency Model of International

Communication

Figure 1: International Communication Dependency Model of Mowlana,

1985.

Media depending takes varying dimension, Golding in Salawu (2006)

pointed out that the potential influence that goes with media dependency

is not confined to cultural or ideological message in contents, it is also

embedded in professional standards and practice including favournalistic

ethics and news values. More so, Distribution hardware refers to

transmitters, satellite links, transpiration, home receivers, recorders, etc.

Distribution software includes publicity, management, marketing, and

research Mcquail (2000) observes that both production and distribution

stages are affected by extra as well as intra-media variables in the

production side, influenced by circumstances of ownership and the

cultural and social context on the distribution side by the economics of the

particular media market.

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From figures 1: Mowlana submits that among the three national countries

which X is a major producer and exporter of media and Y and Z are

importers. There are three main lines of transnationalizing effect: national,

bileratral and multilateral. According to Mcquail (2000) the national flow

operates on the basis of imports and is really a process by which a

national media system is internationalized by way of borrowing content.

Furthermore, the national system becomes the agent for influencing; its

audiences in an international direction, for good or ill for this to take

place, Mcquail (2000), argues, the content not only has to be transmitted,

but it has to be received and responded to in a positive way, only if this

happens can there by a process of internationalization that affects the

cultural and society.

Bilateral flow (direct cross border transmission) most often occur when

neighbouring countries already have much in common) terms of cultural,

experience and often language Mcquail (2000) remarks that in this

circumstances. It is not easy to distinguish the role of the media from

many other kinds of content. Meanwhile multilateral flow (from one

country direct to may others) is still said to be relatively unimportant as

far as conventional mass media are concerned. It is however, recognized,

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that the multilateral flow may be growing in importance because of the

growth of the internet, which encourages multiple multilateral flows.

Drawing conclusions of cultural effect from these processes of

transnational flow. Mcquail (2000) declares that we need to distinguish

between international media content or internationalized systems on the

one hand and what is actually received. In order words, making up

language and cultural differences as obstacles, it is argued that is a long

way from the transmission of foreign produced content to any predictable

influenced achieved.

2.2.2 MODEL OF CULTURAL TRIANGULATION: Drawing

inspection from (Theodore) New combs (1953) ABX co-orientation

model, the model of cultural triangulation makes the following

assumptions:

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A B

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1. For A to influence B to buy, adapt or assimilate cultural products

(X), there must be a high degree of familiarly (co-orientation)

developed over matter of years between A and B;

2. Also, for B to influence, such familiarity must be present.

3. In order for cultural (X) to be exported from A to B and actually

consumed there, products must be already in some sense known

by the national audiences of B i.e some foundational familiarly

must exist.

Uche (1996) notes that the implication of the model is that no force is

exerted in the process of importing cultural products by one country from

another. According to Uche, the success of the process depends on the

complex history of familiarization. He, further points out the cultural

triangulation is a consequence of political and economic co-orientation,

which results from a relationship that is based on historical familiarization

between countries, and leads to the exchange, as commodities, of mass

media entertainment products. Uche believes that the reception and

acceptance of foreign, media products by a receiving country is a matter

of preference. In view of this Uche (1996:55-56) submits:

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The subject of cultural triangulation is much complex product, not

the unwilling victim of exotic cultural invasions that could simply

be halted and reversed, leaving behind a subject newly returned to

the pore state of cultural freedom.

While Mowlana postulates that dependent nations are helpless in their

situation, sepstrup (1989) in Salawu (2006) believes there us no certainty

of content effects in international communication because of barriers of

language and cultural differences; of barriers of language and cultural

differences; and disparities in economic advancement, Uche concludes

that assimilation of cultural products between countries is a question of

historical familiarity, concluding however that the reception and

acceptance of such products by a receiving nation is a question of

preference.

While it is free that colonial affinity, excellent creativity may pave way

for a cultural product with a link to a dominant nation into the cultural

space of a periphery, without any colonial affinity.

It is believed that decades after the exotic cultural invasion situation

could have been halted and reversed, leaving behind a subject newly

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returned to the pure state of cultural freedom (Uche 1996:56). We can

deduce that if the African has cultural pride he should have, by now, been

able to put off the yoke of imperialism and live his own original life

style. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the educated, westernized

African sees everything African as primitive.

In the same way, Uche agrees that the structures bequeathed by

imperialism are processes of social consciousness. This is evident in what

he cells symptomatic addition (Uches emphasis) to foreign cultural

product in the host country. The imperialists lifestyles have affected

every aspect of the lives of the subjugated peoples, in all ramifications,

imperialism, decades after the end. Colonialism in Africa Nigeria in

particular is seen in Africas mode of dressing, communication, feeling,

and entertainment via the reflection in its home video.

2.2.3 CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION AND RECEPTION

THEORY

While the previous models focus on the creators and organizations that

are disseminating global cultures, reception theory concentrates on the

responses of audiences and publics.

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On the one hand, reception theory is concerned with the responses of

audiences and publics to specific cultural products. On the other hand, it

has implications for the long-term effects of cultural products on national

and cultural identity. Theories of globalization haven stressed two major

consequences of globalization, homogenization of cultures and

hybridization of cultures (Nederveen Pieterse 1995; Robertson 1995). The

first concept suggests that all national cultures will absorb a homogenous

global culture and will become increasingly similar while the second

concept suggests that national cultures will assimilate aspects of many

other cultures and become more diverse. Global cultures may render

traditional identities less salient or produce hybridized identities as local

cultures absorb and respond to these influences.

In contrast to theories of the mass audience and of ideological

indoctrination by the media, reception theory provides an approach which

views the audience as being capable of interpreting media texts in

different ways. Members of the audience may or may not interpret texts in

terms of dominant ideologies as the producers of the texts intended (Hall

1981). Variations in the ways in which texts are interpreted depend upon

the context in which reception takes place and the social characteristics of

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the receiver (class, gender, race, and age). For example, studies have

found that gender roles affect responses to Western television programs

(Salwen 1991). One of the most elaborate studies of crosscultural

differences in responses to television programming is Liebes and Katz

(1990) analysis of the American television program, Dallas. They found

that different aspects of the program were salient to different ethnic

groups in Israel and in the United States.

A number of factors offset the dominant role of Western and specifically

American products in global culture, such as the attitude of consumers

toward globally disseminated television programming. Audiences

generally prefer local programming, because they find it easier to identify

with the style, values, attitudes, and behaviors expressed in local

programs than in foreign programs (Biltereyst 1991, 1995; Chadha and

Kavoori 2000). This is known as the "cultural discount." Consequently,

national programming tends to be shown during primetime hours and

American imports in off-hours (Straubhaar 1991: 50). One of the most

difficult questions to study is how foreign programming affects national

and cultural identity. Recent theories (Hall 1992) have stressed the

problematic aspects of the concepts of national and cultural identity. The

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idea of homogenous national cultures that specific identities and values on

all its citizens, to the exclusion of others, is no longer tenable; nations are

becoming increasingly multicultural. One author states: "real concerns

arise as to whether national media cultures adequately represent ethnic,

religious, political and other kinds of diversity (Sreberny-Mohammadi

1991: 129).

Consequently, national identities are not necessarily unitary but may be

perceived in different ways depending upon race and ethnicity. Cultural

identities often transcend national boundaries. Transnational

programming performs an important role in creating a sense of cultural

identity that crosscuts nationality.

EMPIRICAL STUDIES

It is believed that Nigerias music and home videos are enjoying

acceptance in Africa, most especially Nigeria. This is in lieu with a

principle of Development media theory which states that media should

give priority ill news and information to links with other developing

countries which are close geographically, culturally a politically (Mcquail

2000).

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What is however, important for cultural products being packaged in

Nigerian home video is to reflect the authentic cultures of the people.

And, really, are some embarrassing programmes produced by, and aided

on African television stations. For instance, the Big Brother Africa show,

packaged by M-Net and transmitted directly through DSTV from South

Africa, has been so much pilloried for being UnAfrican. The Guardian

news-paper (Nigerian) editorial of July 29, 2003 said this of the

programme.

If the objective of the producers was to achieve a show

that would advertise the best of African culture and the

diversity of the African experience and the diversity, they

would seem to have failed woefully, in that regard.

What they have achieved instead is a somewhat initiative,

and UnAfrican programme in which the housemates

indulge in sex, nudity, and endless consumption of

alcohol. At least two housemates have had sex in full view

of the camera.Even the idea of unproductive young

persons in their prime moping around all day in simulated

captivity and obvious illness with such distinguishing

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features as tattoos and ear-rings cannot be a perfect

advertisement for the African notion of lifestyle (p.22).

The editorial offered a more pragmatic view when it said:

It may well be argued that Big Brother African is a true

reflection on the moral decadence and high level of

promiscuity that is now pervasive in African societies, or

that it portrays the crisis of cultural transformation and

adjustment (p.22).

Even though Africa borrows the hardware (media technology), it does not

have to borrow the software (media content). The continent has control

over this and it should make a choice. This used to be the problem

influencing television programming, home video in Nigeria at the initial

stage, due to lack of expertise. The imported foreign movies are cheap

compared to the cost of producing original local programmes episodes or

perhaps a Nigerian movie.

The major problem with Nigeria home video not able to reflect its culture

was as a result of lack of technology and, perhaps, adequate funds.

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In the spirit of freedom of information, it may not be proper to shut out

the western cable networks. The question of choice, again comes in here.

Audiences in the peripheries should be able to select, based in certain

cultural standards.

In this age of information, we cannot but have an admixture of cultures i.e

various cultures intermingling with one another in symbiotic relationship

what is abhorrent is the tendency and the clear reality of certain cultures

supplanting the countries of others. The fact that colonialism, which has

brought about cultural familiarization, yet it believes that since the

collapse of this historical experience which is more prevalent and evident

in our movie today, there have been enough space and time to allow for

independence, full expression and purity in Nigerian cultures. In this

stead, the choice is for Nigeria to appreciate herself and the essence of

her, own reality rather than coveting other peoples culture in its home

video.

Salawu (2003) established that reducing dependence on foreign

programmes, but essentially by projecting the authentic Nigerian cultural

value in its locally home video.

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MODELS OF CULTURALGLOBALIZATION/IMPERIALISM

The best known model of cultural globalization is cultural imperialism

theory. This model focuses upon the roles of governments and of

multinational and transnational corporations in the dissemination of

different forms of global culture. It hypothesizes that global culture is

disseminated from rich and powerful countries that are located at the

center of the world cultural system to poorer and less developed countries

on the periphery of the system. Cultural imperialism theory emerged in

the 1960s as part of a Marxist critique of advanced capitalist cultures,

including their emphasis on consumerism and mass communications. The

role of core countries as opposed to peripheral countries is derived from

ideas from world-systems theory, which argues that the global economic

system is dominated by a core of advanced countries while Third World

countries remain at the periphery of the system with little control over

their economic and political development (Tomlinson 1991: 37).

Multinational or transnational corporations are key actors in this system,

producing goods, controlling markets, and disseminating products, using

similar techniques. The theory presupposes a relatively homogenous

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mass culture which is accepted passively and uncritically by mass

audiences.

The strong version of cultural imperialism theory refers to the imposition

upon other countries of a particular nations beliefs, values, knowledge,

behavioral norms, and style of life (Salwen 1991). Cultural imperialism is

defined as a kind of cultural domination by powerful nations over weaker

nations. It is viewed as purposeful and intentional because it corresponds

to the political interests of the United States and other powerful capitalist

societies. The effects of this type of cultural domination, reflecting the

attitudes and values of Western, particularly American, capitalist

societies, are viewed as extremely pervasive and as leading to the

homogenization of global culture, as suggested by the following comment

by an Australian scholar (White 1983: 120-121): the Americanization

process becomes far more formidable when the fundamental concepts of a

societys national identity are remodeled in the American image.

The concept of cultural imperialism is inherently vague and implies a

negative evaluation of the behavior and intentions of advanced countries,

particularly the United States, toward other advanced countries and

toward poorer countries. Critics have argued that the term, imperialism,

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which can be seen as the imposition of power from rich to poor, from

powerful to weak, implies a degree of political control by powerful

countries that no longer exists.

According to Tomlinson (1991: 175): the idea of imperialism contains

the notion of a purposeful project: the intended spread of a social system

from one center of power across the globe. He contrasts imperialism

with the concept of globalization which suggests interconnection and

interdependency of all global areas happening in a far less purposeful

way.

In spite of its weaknesses, cultural imperialism, re-conceptualized as

media imperialism, remains a useful perspective because it can be used to

analyze the extent to which some national actors have more impact on

global culture than others, and therefore are shaping and reshaping

cultural values, identities, and perceptions. Since the scope and influence

of global cultures are rapidly expanding, these are important issues.

In contrast to cultural imperialism theory in which the source of cultural

influence is Western civilization while non-Western and less developed

countries are viewed as being on the periphery--as the receivers of

cultural influences--the cultural flows or network model offers an

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alternative conception of the transmission process, as a set of influences

that are not necessarily originating in the same place or flowing in the

same direction. Receivers may also be originators. In this model, cultural

globalization corresponds to a network with no clearly defined center or

periphery (see, for example, Appadurai 1990). Globalization as an

aggregation of cultural flows or networks is a less coherent and unitary

process than cultural imperialism and one in which cultural influences

move in many different directions. The effect of these cultural flows,

which Appadurai identifies as consisting of media, technology,

ideologies, and ethnicities on recipient nations is likely to be cultural

hybridization rather than homogenization. A third model, reception

theory, has been used to explain responses to cultural globalization by

publics in different countries. This theory hypothesizes that audiences

respond actively rather than passively to mass-mediated culture and that

different national, ethnic, and racial groups interpret the same materials

differently. This model does not view globally disseminated culture as a

threat to national or local identities. Multiculturalism rather than cultural

imperialism is perceived as the dominant trend. Critics of reception theory

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argue that audience response has little impact on global media

conglomerates or cultural policy.

Media conglomerates treat audiences as undifferentiated consumers of

their products rather than as citizens with distinct rights and preferences.

A fourth approach which I am proposing focuses on the strategies used by

nations, global cities, and cultural organizations to cope with, counter, or

facilitate cultural globalization. Specifically, nations, global cities, and

cultural organizations engage in strategies for preserving and protecting

cultures inherited from the past, strategies for rejuvenating traditional

cultures, strategies for resisting cultural globalization, and strategies for

altering or transforming local and national cultures for global

consumption. From this perspective, cultural globalization is a process

that involves competition and negotiation as organizations and countries

attempt to preserve, position, or project their cultures in global space.

Countries vary in their emphasis upon preservation as compared to

production of culture for exportation. In this approach, cultural

globalization is seen as a disorderly process, fraught with tension,

competition, and conflict.

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Each of the four models focuses upon a different set of variables

associated with cultural globalization and develops hypotheses about the

processes through which these variables affect cultural globalization and

the types of consequences that result.

FROM CULTURAL IMPERIALISM TO GLOBAL CAPITALISM

AND MEDIA IMPERIALISM

Major forces leading to cultural globalization are economic and

organizational factors.

Cultural globalization requires an organizational infrastructure. One form

of globalization occurs as a result of the activities of media and

entertainment organizations based in advanced countries which produce

film, television, and popular music and distribute them to countries all

over the world. Dominance of a particular country in the global media

marketplace is more a function of economic than cultural factors.

American firms particularly have benefited from the size of their national

market and the availability of funds for investment. A small number of

media conglomerates, based in a few Western countries, dominate the

production and global distribution of film, television, popular music, and

book publishing. McChesney (1999) has documented the existence of a

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global media market, that has developed as a result of new technologies

and the deregulation of national media industries.

This market is oligopolistic. Because of high production and distribution

costs, the level of investment required to enter this market is very high.

These vertically integrated firms make huge profits by selling the same

product in different media. A film may be shown in movie theaters and on

pay cable television and sold in the form of a CD-rom, a book, or as

comics.

A spin-off may be used for a television series. Merchandise based on the

film generates additional profits. According to McChesney, firms without

access to this type of synergy are incapable of competing in the global

marketplace.

In spite of the fact that some of the global media conglomerates are

European, American media products continue to dominate in global

markets. Because of the huge audience for films in the United States,

American firms producing and distributing films earn enormous profits in

their own country. As a result, American producers can afford to make

more expensive films than their competitors in other countries and this, in

turn, increases profits.

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The more expensive a film is to produce, the more money it is likely to

make. "Blockbusters" attract the largest international audiences (Phillips

1982). These expensive films represent a type of homogenous, uniform

culture permeated by Western capitalistic values. They are full of

elaborate technical effects and concentrate on stunts, action, and violence

rather than character and emotion. Action films are more easily

understood in diverse, non-English speaking cultures than other types of

films. Given the enormous cultural diversity among the potential

audiences for globally marketed films, filmmakers attempt to find

common denominators that are universal in a weak sense and will attract

audiences in different countries.

The United States also predominates in the production and sale of

television programs (Barker 1997: 50) for reasons that have more to do

with economic factors than with cultural attitudes and values. Hoskins and

Mirus (1990) argue that the success of American television programs in

the international market is largely a result of the conditions under which

they are produced. Again, the size and wealth of the country means that

successful programs are extremely lucrative. Consequently, the high costs

of television production

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(over $1 million per episode) can be recouped locally. Programs can be

sold for export at substantially lower prices that indigenous producers are

often unable to match.

Changes in the availability of technology in developing countries have led

to an increase in transnational dissemination of television programs and in

expansion of world demand for programming (Straubhaar 1991: 47).

International satellite delivery systems have been very important in

disseminating television programs from advanced countries to less

advanced

Countries (Sinclair 1996: 52-53). In Latin America, increases in the

availability of VCRs, cable TV, and direct satellite reception have

expanded audiences for U.S. and European television. In countries where

the availability of media has formerly been severely limited or restricted,

the arrival of foreign programming may greatly increase the range of

cultural choices.

Global musical culture disseminated by media conglomerates generally

concentrates upon artists from English speaking countries and excludes

artists from other countries, particularly those who do not speak English

(Negus 1996: 184-185). The international repertoires of major record

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companies have increasingly focused on a small number of international

stars and excluded local artists. The American cable company, MTV,

which specializes in music videos and which has aggressively marketed

its products in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, includes primarily artists

from the United States and the United Kingdom, particularly those being

distributed by major music conglomerates, and pays little attention to

artists from other countries (Banks 1996).

As these developments indicate, cultural imperialism with political

motives has been replaced by media imperialism based on global

capitalism, although some media industries fit this model more than

others (see below). A small number of media conglomerates based

in a few countries (the United States, Germany, France, and Great Britain)

have continually extended their control over the television, film, music,

and publishing industries and hence the global reach of their products.

Kellner (1999: 246) identifies a new postindustrial form of techno-

capitalism characterized by a decline in the power of the state and

increased power of the market. He states that mergers of major

entertainment and information conglomerates have produced the most

extensive concentration and conglomeration of information and

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entertainment industries in history (Kellner 1999: 243). However, this

model does not explain all the dimensions of cultural globalization.

PRESERVING AND PROTECTING NATIONAL AND LOCAL

CULTURES

In countries that are increasingly being exposed to global culture,

traditional and classical cultures may be the object of concerted efforts for

preservation and protection. In some countries, such as Japan,

preservation and protection have been the major focus of their cultural

policies and have constituted their major responses to cultural

globalization (Tomooka, Kanno, and Kobayashi, 2002). The role of

culture in urban regeneration has been widely discussed (Bianchini and

Parkinson 1993). Regeneration of cultural resources involves the

increasingly important role of certain cities as global cultural actors. For

example, in response to economic, political, and cultural pressures

engendered by various forms of globalization, certain forms of culture,

both local and global, have been used to rejuvenate urban neighborhoods

and local cultures. Lorente (2002) explains how depressed neighborhoods

in cities that have suffered economically from economic globalization

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have been revived and transformed through strategic construction of

museums in their midst.

RESISTING GLOBAL CULTURE

Understanding national strategies toward cultural globalization requires

an understanding of various aspects of resistance to global cultures. Using

taxes, tariffs, and subsidies, many governments attempt to control

channels for the dissemination of imported culture in order to preserve

national cultural sovereignty and national cultural diversity. Both

advanced and developing countries have resorted to strategies for resisting

global media cultures. Television and film have been subject to import

quotas;

1 Popular music is another area where some countries have resorted to

protectionism and various forms of state assistance to musicians and

music industries.

2 These forms of resistance lead to political conflicts with countries that

are major exporters of commercial culture as well as with multinational

organizations that are concerned with profit rather than the public interest

(Beale, 2002).

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GLOBALIZING NATIONAL OR LOCAL CULTURES

Understanding the process of cultural globalization requires an

understanding of how national and local cultures are transformed in order

to make them more attractive and meaningful to foreign visitors or foreign

consumers. This type of activity takes several forms. The first three

strategies transform cultural sites within a particular country in order to

project new images of the countrys culture to the outside world. The

fourth and fifth types of strategies involve creating or recreating national

cultural items for global export. The first three strategies of national or

local transformation are processes of reframing . For example, retooling is

a type of activity is seen in urban neighborhoods and historical sites that

have been .retooled. so as to provide more activities for tourists and more

commercial outlets to serve them (Zukin 1995). Traditional arts and

performances may be .reframed. To make them more interesting and

understandable for tourists. Kwok and Low (2002) show how turning

Singapore into a .global city for the arts. affected the preservation of

cultural memory through historic sites and the identity of the city-state

itself. In Singapore, historic sites and traditional neighborhoods have been

simulated and replicated rather than conserved, replacing chaotic,

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disorderly areas with sanitized substitutes. Another form that reframing

takes is disneyfication , influenced by the Disney theme parks and Walt

Disneys vision of a utopian city. For example, a citys historic sites will

be categorized and publicized in terms of specific themes that lead the

citizen or tourist to view them from a particular perspective. Kwok and

Low examine the consequences of disneyfication for the types of cultural

images that Singapore projects. An alternative and less frequently used

strategy for reframing local culture is postmodern upscaling . This strategy

focuses on the arts and attempts to use them to attract elite international

audiences to major events featuring artistic celebrities. Trasforini (2002)

discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy for an urban

economy and for traditional arts groups that may be excluded from this

process. Two other strategies are used in preparing cultural products for

global markets. Negotiated modification is an important phenomenon

which is almost invisible outside the entertainment industry. Carefully

selected national cultural products, such as television series, are

globalized by editing or revising them to suit the tastes of consumers in

other countries whose tastes do not conform to those of consumers in the

country of origin (Bielby and Harrington, 2002). Details of these

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negotiated modifications are worked out at annual sales meetings where

media companies present their wares for purchase on the international

market. Co-productions in which companies from different countries

jointly produce television series and films are an important site in which

cultural products are adapted or modified to suit the needs of consumers

in different countries (Hubka, 2002). Considerable importance is placed

on audio-visual exports by many countries, both developed and less

developed. They are fostered both as a form of cultural diplomacy, and

for intrinsic economic reasons (Cunningham, Jacka, and Sinclair 1998:

188).

Another approach to preparing cultural items for export is referred to as

global localization or glocalization . Robertson (1995: 28) discusses the

ways in which global genres are adapted for local audiences so that the

global blends with the local. This process does not lead to global

homogenization but to a situation where cultural forms, such as soap

operas, that originated in the West and that diffuse globally are adapted to

local conditions and primarily carry messages about local cultures

(Straubhaar 1997: 288). Audiences often prefer local imitations of

American popular culture rather than American popular culture itself.

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In some cases, this process results in completely eliminating traces of the

country of origin of the product, by attempting to frame the items as

having originated in the countries to which they are being marketed

(Iwabuchi, 2002; Robertson 1995). In this situation, cultural forms being

marketed outside the country assimilate aspects of the local cultures in the

receiving country in a process that challenges the much-discussed binary

opposition between global and local.

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CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter focuses on the research method, design, population sample,

Area of study, sampling techniques, Instrument for data collection,

sources of data, data collection procedure, validity of the instrument,

Reliability of the instrument method of data analysis.The research method

of this study is survey.

The survey method according to Osuala in Tejumaye (2003) focuses on

people, the vital facts of people, their beliefs, opinions attitudes,

motivation and behaviour.

Backstorm and Hursh reaffirmed Osualas assertion in Tejumaye(2003),

when they observed that the survey method enables the researcher to

make generalizations about the behaviour of a great body of people

requiring measurements along broad spectrum of opinions, attitudes,

feelings, beliefs, ideas, information and understanding.

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3.5 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

This study employs a purposive method of sampling technique, selected

on the basis of specific characteristics or qualities and elimination of those

who fail to meet this criteria. Purposive sampling is deliberately chosen

and its attempts to represents a specific portion of the population and not

all and sundry. (Tejumaiye, 2003)

3.6 INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION

The data collection instrument for this study is the interview guide with

top movie makers in Nigeria. Using the standardized open ended

interview guide as an instrument to elicit data for the study on cultural

imperialism in the Nigerian movie industry.

3.7 VALIDITY OF THE INTERVIEW

The research instrument (interview) was designed to specifically measure

respondents Perceptions, opinions and beliefs in order to provide answers

to research questions, which would in turn provide solution to the

problem of study. The interview was designed in such a way to generate

responses that would directly address research questions in an attempt to

give specific answers to the research questions.

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In addition, as the objective of the study was to know the implication of

cultural imperialism in Nigerian home video. This study puts in place an

appropriate research design, research technique and research procedure

while it sought to provide answers to all research questions and

ultimately, the problem of study.

3.8 RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT

The study adopted precision and accuracy in its measurement i.e

measuring carefully what is set out to measure and will therefore

consistently yield very similar responses to questions drafted in the

research instrument to address research questions, also when the research

is carried out again and again adopting similar technique and population

of study.

The capacity of the research design as well as research instrument to yield

the same responses and ultimately similar conclusions, when the same

procedure, technique and population of study is adopted gives this study

its reliability.

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3.9 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

Data were analyzed according to the responses retrieved from the

interview guide, summarized and analyzed using the summary of a

Descriptive analysis of the response to answer of the problem

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CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 DATA ANALYSIS

At inception the Nigerian video industry developed out of a specific

context directly related to the domestic cultural, economic and political

environment. It is an heterogeneous industry that can be roughly divided

into Yoruba-, Hausa- and Igbo-videos, aim was to showcase and project

Nigerian culture. This study attempted to proffer solutions to the

following questions; firstly what is the implication of cultural imperialism

in the Nigerian Home Video? Secondly, to what extent, can cultural

imperialism integrate and influence Nigeria culture? Finally, how can

cultural imperialism influence the projection of Nigerian Home video? As

a matter of fact, the responses obtained from the interview: Tunde Kelani

and Kingsely Ogoro, would help to evaluate the relevance of our culture

in Nigerian videos as against cultural imperialism.

Going to the movies was in the 1960s and 1970s a popular activity in

urban areas in Western Nigeria, but the crowd preferred Indian movies,

Asian action movies and western films to the few Nigerian movies

produced as the latter were often too intellectual and extraverted .

However, the crowd was absolutely enthusiastic about local cultural

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productions, as the Popular Travelling Theatre in shows. It has a

longstanding tradition: Emerging from in Victorian Lagos in the 1930s

and 1940s, it soon combined church plays with Yoruba masquerade

performances and other influences.

TUNDE KELANI

Tunde Kelani (aka TK) was interested in photography while very young

and knew by the time he left school that any work he did would be

photography related. He was employed as a trainee cameraman by the

Western Nigeria Television and attended the London Film School from

Aug 1976 to learn technical aspects of filmmaking. His work included

newsreel work for the BBC World Service. He started directing his own

projects around 12 years ago. I have been in the industry from all that

time witnessing all the technologies from black-and-white then transition

to colour; from optical sound to magnetic sound; and now lately Ive been

an advocate of digital filmmaking which I believe is the future of African

cinema.

TK makes his films for the cinema first before considering the home

market, making him distinct from the Nollywood filmmakers who have

few cinema aspirations. For me growing up, many years ago, in Nigeria

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before military dictatorship, we had neighbourhood cinemas. Around me I

had about six cinemas and I had preferences. American films made an

impression on me and we had Indian films and Chinese films so it was

question of your preference. Until we lost all that cinema infrastructure

and Nigerians as a result of military dictatorship and insecurity preferred

to be entertained in their own homes and advancement in video consumer

electronics gave a boost to the video industry.

TKs biggest film was Thunderbolt (2000) which was the first of his

films that we had knowingly seen and could attribute to him. This film

cemented Nubiarts interest in Nigerian film. Thunderbolt is coming

from my experience as a filmmaker. Most of the people who practice in

Nigeria are amateurs they are not professionals who have been trained

in any way. You can say well, thats alright! But if you see the impact of

the pen everybody in the world today has access to a pen and pencils and

word processors but theyre not going to be writing professionally.

Thunderbolt was distributed worldwide and has been on the catalogue of

California Newsreel in the US for the last five years. This means that

many people studying African or Third World cinema have to watch it

and virtually every university in the US that does related courses has

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era of rapid social and technological change leading to increase life

complexity and psychological displacement, both positive and negative

effects call for a balance. It is believed that cultural imperialism is a

vague, undefined term that has recently come into vague, primarily in

revolutionary circles.

Can we say then that the clich (cultural imperialism) has a quality of the

upmost importance for understanding relations between developed and

underdevelopment from the economic to political and correctly call it an

example of cultural imperialism? All depend on the importation of foreign

ideas, technology, and institutions from development countries with no

thought for their appropriateness to the underdevelopment countries.

KINGSLEY OGORO

Kingsley Ogoro is a noted Nigerian film director, screenwriter and film

producer best known for the acclaimed film Osuofia in London of 2003 in

which he worked with Nkem Owoh. The film is the highest grossing

Nollywood film of all time. He has worked in the Nollywood film

industry since 2003 mainly as a film producer and director. He has

directed and produced: The Widow (2005), Across the Niger (2004),

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Osuofia in London 2 (2004), Veno (2004) Dangerous Babe (2003),

Osuofia in London(2003), The Return (2003).

He also shares a similar view that Nigerian home video was to help

preserve and sustain our culture from generations to generations. But

come to think of it, with the coming of competition in the movie industry

and the sub-consciousness of money making as a venture for making

movies and better still due to fact that most Nigerians of today dont

prefer our local movies because of the acceptance of foreign cultures in to

our movie system. Be that as it may, most of them said that their

preference of movies is based on technological know how and whether

the storyline actually reflect the theme of the movie. At this point I would

say that to some extent that the importation of foreign culture has nothing

to do with cultural degradation. Let me explain what I mean. What I am

saying that our number one problem is not being yourself even the

western world appreciates our culture but we dont why? Even in our

music industry the artists preferred not to think globally and act locally

they have forgotten that songs in every way needed to appeal to Nigerians

by reflecting our core cultural values. The Nigerian movie producers are

facing a lot of challenges in the sense that in terms of the kind of film they

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produced. Their main focus of film making is not to project our beautiful

culture but money and since they are money conscious they only

produced a replica or better still replicate some of the cultures of the

western world. Lets look at Indian film critically all their film are always

in their native language reflecting their cultural heritage. Lets come back

home most of Nigerian movies produced by the pioneering fathers of the

Nigerian movie industry reflect our language culture, but this is gradually

dying in todays movies, some of our films is nothing to write home

about in terms of its movie contents and production style giving it a feel

of not having a regulating body that censors most of our films in the right

perspectives they are suppose to follow despite their quest in sanitizing

the Nigerian movie industry as a censor board for the industry( Nigeria

Video Censor Board of Nigeria) .

He further stated that Todays Nigerian films are more foreign in which

taking a cross-section of the new generational film they replicate what is

in the western films in a local way in other to whet the appetite of its

audience. But replicating what is in the western films in a local way in

other to whet the appetite of its audience is it wrong would it erode our

culture? By virtues of Ogoros assertion, it therefore posits that cultural

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imperialism in the Nigerian movie industry exist to some certain extent

both the western culture and a blend of both Nigerian and western culture.

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 SUMMARY

From the study it can be affirmed that the importation of foreign culture to

Nigerian is evident in our home video and as a result of that there is a

high level of acceptance of foreign cultures thereby eroding our culture. It

could be argued that the implication posed by the implication of cultural

imperialism on Nigerian movie is on the verge of flooding our culture

completely if care is note taken.

Firstly, we need to acknowledge that there might be a range of potential

risks associated with the importation of foreign cultures as against our

core values .we cannot trade our culture just in the name of modernization

and globalization. In the same way, it is quite idealistic to imagine that

cultures will be isolated and that there will be no cross-cultural influence

of any kind what is, however, important is the safeguarding of the cultures

of nations and societies that clearly are at the receiving end.

Chapter one introduced us to the term cultural imperialism which

emerged in the 1960s to widely examine the unequal power distribution

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among countries in the world. cultural imperialism was defined as the

sum of the process by which a society is brought into a modern world

system and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced and

sometimes bribed into shaping society institutions to correspond to, or

even promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the

system.

In the beginning, we can sense that the European colonialism, cultural

imperialist scholars focused on subordinate. In the past, western countries

colonized Asian, African, and Latin America countries with their military

power and established the dominate subordinate relationship politically

and economically. . it is belied that the west became the core of the world,

while others became the periphery. The world-system exists to benefit

only the core. In the modern world economy, the developmental process

is viewed and applied as the means by which the class structure of the

core is replicated in the periphery. Modernization is thus equated with the

westernization in the third world.

Based on this we can deduce that colonized countries depend on the

dominant countries economically, politically and culturally. It could be

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contend that in the late twentieth century, the paradigm of cultural

imperialism shifted. Cultural domination became differentiated from

economic and political domination. Nowadays the development of

cultural imperialism seems to be so rapid and over whelming that often

specialist speak about that this are simply unable to resist to the influence

of the hegemonic culture from the west as it spread as fast as globalization

involves more and more countries into the new economic formation and

new relations.

Chapter two ushered us into various studies and relevant theories to the

topic were reviewed as well as examples and comments of scholars and

effects researchers on cultural imperialism on the Nigerian home video

Chapter three based on the methodology for the research. It was unveiled

that the survey method was the suitable method for this study because it

attempts to picture or document current conditions or attitudes.

5.2 CONCLUSION

What can one conclude about the relevance of these four models for

understanding the nature and effects of globally disseminated cultures?

First, the cultural imperialism model has been re-conceptualized as the

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media imperialism model in which the motivation for dissemination is

economic rather than political. As such, it is evident that global media

culture is dominated by and in the future will increasingly be dominated

by media conglomerates with huge holdings in all forms of popular

culture. While in the past, ownership of these conglomerates was largely

American, recently some of these organizations have been bought by

companies based in other major industrial countries. Culture might be

transnational culture rather than global culture since many less developed

countries are not perceived as attractive markets.

The cultural flows or model is useful for understanding the roles of

regional cultures. They tend to be more multicultural and diverse than

global cultures and, in some areas of the globe, tend to perform more

important roles. They generally have more links to Third World national

cultures. They are, however, heavily influenced by international media

conglomerates that often invest in specific regions and perform important

roles in creating regional cultures. The combination of transnational

culture and regional culture is closer to the network model, as regions

begin to send cultural products to other regions. In the future, the network

model should be increasingly relevant to the study of cultural

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globalization/imperialism as more regions and more countries produce

more culture and send it to other countries. A truly global media culture

that mingles cultural traditions and social values from many different

countries has yet to emerge.

5.3 RECOMMENDATION

In order to curb cultural imperialism in Nigerian home video I therefore

make the following recommendations

1. A body should be setup to regulate the content on Nigerian home

video in order reduce the importation of foreign cultures in to our

movie industry, which will in turn lead to the erosion of our culture.

2. In order to reinforce the above, a policy should be made that 80

percent of content in Nigerian home video should mirror or better

still reflect our core values in order to ensure preservation and

sustenance.

3. Movie producers that fail to comply with the two above

recommendations be fined or banned from producing movies in

Nigeria at least for about 5 years which will go a long way in

reducing and making the importation of foreign cultures acceptable

in Nigeria.

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4. The industry is a growing one which in the last couple of years it

has metamorphosed to a vibrant one to some certain extent in terms

of its finesse and film cinematography but all these development

lies in the hands of individualistic effort that are thwarted by piracy,

standardization of movies as at when due and a host of other vices

and by this government support will go a long way in growing the

industry and also help in reducing the imperialistic tendencies in

Nigerian movie industry.

5. The government is not left out in reinforcing and enforcing that the

above recommendation should be adhere to strictly in order to

accord quick compliance

5.4 SUGGESTION OF FURTHER STUDIES: The impact of media

globalization on Nigerian culture.

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Kawasaki (eds.) Global Culture: Arts, Media, Policy, and

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