IFEOMA THERESA AMOBI, Ph.D. & HASSAN HUSSEINI SHAIBU, Ph.D.

Abstract

The Niger Delta crisis is one that has inspired the production of several narratives that have opened vistas on the conflict and proposals as to how they can be contained and resolved. This paper examines the framing of the Niger Delta conflicts in Nollywood movies, and the congruity between the audiences’ interpretation of the frames and the filmmakers’ preferred readings. Using the triangulation approach, three selected Nollywood films of the Niger Delta genre: Amnesty, Liquid Black Gold, and King of Crude, were content analyzed. The Focus Group Discussion and the In-depth Interview methods were used to gather data from a sample of undergraduate and post graduate students of the University of Lagos, as well as the filmmakers. Findings show a prevalence of pro-Niger Delta frames and establishes congruence between the audience members’ interpretation and the filmmakers’ preferred readings, with the audience members taking a negotiated position in decoding the cinematic messages. Findings underscore the power of films in the representation of social reality and as catalysts for government-citizen engagement and conflict resolution.

Key Words: Niger Delta Conflict, Nollywood Films, Frames, Force, Interpretation

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 12, No. 2, October 2020, pp. 138-149

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

About the authors

*     Ifeoma Theresa Amobi, Ph.D. is a Senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. An ERASMUS+ scholar, her areas of research include Health Communication (Health Misinformation/Disinformation); Multimedia and Online Journalism; Broadcast Journalism; Film, Gender and Power Relations; and International Communication. Dr. Amobi was a faculty member of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, and a current member of the Advisory Board of AfricaCheck, Fullfact and Chequeado fact-checking organizations.

**    Hassan Husseini Shaibu, Ph.D. is a Teaching Fellow at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria and Head of Public Relations and Media at the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. He has considerable industry experience in Culture and Film Journalism, Broadcasting, Film Production Management and in Public Relations and Advertising. His current research interest is in the evaluation of the power structure and economics of motion picture production in Nigeria.

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Article Citation

Amobi. I. T. & Shaibu, H. H. (2020). Framing and interpretation of the Nigerian Niger Delta conflict in three selected Nollywood films. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 12 (2): 138 – 149.