Naija Screen Evolution: The Blend of Past and Present

 

By Babalola Blessing Adeola

Nollywood, amongst every other “wood,” is the Nigerian movie industry, a tag that starts with the letter “N” as in Nigeria. The industry has served us over time with a diversity of storylines, majorly portraying African culture, particularly Nigerian, with the setting taking the same turn. A typical Yoruba and Igbo Nollywood movie is centered on chieftaincy, traditions and taboos, and sites of unusual features within a particular tribal settlement. Some went as far as giving the pictorial motion of wars in ancient times and how vices were addressed.

Years after, we transitioned to digging out the biographies of certain prominent individuals, particularly warlords, kings, tyrants, and chiefs with mischiefs. In 2005, Anini, a biopic movie, was released, following the life and misdeeds of a notorious bandit who took over Benin City in the ’80s. Another is Sango: The Legendary African King, which portrayed the legendary Alaafin of fifteenth-century Oyo town, a powerful king who eventually became a deity to the Yoruba people. The movie featured prominent actors like Antar Laniyan and the late Rachael Oniga, who brought the story to life. These biopics are not limited to the tradition or tribe-themed but also cover the deeds of the military government that were the talk of the moment back in the day. Simisola Opeoluwa, popularly known as “Ogidan,” directed a biopic of the late General Sani Abacha. The theme tackled politics that revolved around the dictatorship rule of the late general. Moreover, the storylines weren’t limited to that; we moved to addressing common societal vices that seemed prominent in those days.

This birthed movies like Kudi Klepto, which portrays a young lady who suffers kleptomania, a condition that makes her steal just for fun and not necessarily out of greed. Omo Butty was another that addressed the rampant effect of overindulgence in raising children. The likes of Omotara Johnson, Awa Meje, among others, also unveiled the adventure of the quest for power and wealth.

For many years, Nigerian films have been based on storylines showing constant tragedy, romance, drama, and comedy that arouse viewers’ minds. Recently, we transitioned into what gets people glued to their screens and throats anticipating. Nollywood took a U-turn and began to explore series that viewers anticipate due to the suspense attached and how they integrate new storylines, compared to the old way of refurbishing the same storylines that bored viewers, making some of them opt for other “woods” where their thirst for entertainment and life lessons are quenched.

As man evolved, from the time of Beta B and Alpha A, themes that resonated so well with those of the 19th and 20th centuries became sour in the mouths of the Gen Z and the upcoming generation. They seem to suit the buds of the “grands” of the upper echelon and not their grandchildren, because life has evolved beyond the history of Mufu Oloosa Oko and Oyenusi of Odunlade Adekola or Jelili by Femi Adebayo. They did make waves at the time of their release, but off they went with the breeze at the emergence of Gen Z, a generation where perspectives and views have changed and expectations are shifting. The thought of the audience changing brought about a drastic and applaudable change in the storylines being dished out by Nollywood over time.

Nollywood movies in 2023 accounted for about 39 percent of the country’s box office revenue, highlighting their financial success within the local market. Producing over 2,500 movies annually as the second-largest film industry on the global stage, it contributed about 1.4 billion US dollars to the country’s GDP. The dominance of the industry on platforms like Netflix and Prime Video in 2024 showed a reasonable increase in viewer engagement both in the cinema and on streaming platforms, YouTube not being an exception. Nollywood commanded significant viewership on streaming platforms, earning some of its movies a place among the top on Netflix in 2024 and about 11 others among the top 15 on Prime Video in the same year. The presence of the industry has widened its horizon beyond the borders of the nation to African countries as well as Africans in the diaspora. The audience for Nollywood movies has become unarguably large and global. Both international and domestic demand have caused rapid growth in the sector, coupled with support from streaming platforms.

In 2024 came the House of Gaa, inspired by the historical figure Bashorun Gaa of the Oyo Empire, who was a warlord in the ancient town said to be more influential than kings. A movie by Bolanle Austen-Peters that everyone keeps talking about. The renowned activist and mother to the popular Afrobeat singer was not excluded; Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti also came to screen from Austen-Peters, featuring Joke Silva and Kehinde Bankole, who took the lead roles. It brought the Egba women’s riots, due to an increase in tax, to life and highlighted the marginalization that nearly took root against women in government in Abeokuta.

The change in storyline became so obvious that Nollywood began to have a reputation change among Nigerians who had, at a time, turned their channels off for others. When Funke Akindele served "Battle on Buka Street” and “A Tribe Called Judah”, it became a “Ghetto Saga” because “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” and she’s changing the narration.

The introduction of the series launched Nollywood into competition with her colleague in one of the longest series ever. Scarlet Gomez gave us the unusual aura of a female tyrant who gets what she wants at all costs, giving us a sneak peek of the ancient Efunsetan Aniwura, right there in Wura, the series we all thought wasn’t going to end. With it showing workers at sites for “Wura” and slaves on fields for “Aniwura,” all were subject to both “Wura’s” will and wheel.

Femi Adebayo wouldn’t stop serving us hot action like what Hollywood looks like; Jagun Jagun was a blockbuster, and Seven Doors rolled in like a rollercoaster, giving its viewers a rush of emotions as it transfixed them from silent muses of giggles to sobs that no one could hear, for the softhearted ones. The setting, the plot, theme, and characters brought to life the toil to serve, the strive to keep love and hope alive, and the throne behind every throne.

Nigeria’s cinema market is experiencing a vibrant resurgence, fueled by a growing appetite for locally produced films and innovative storytelling techniques. A statistical report shows that the number of viewers in cinemas is anticipated to reach 9.6 million users by 2030. While this is a celebrated milestone in the industry and among viewers, we do hope that subsequently the banner will be raised high above the barb of Bollywood. More exciting storylines and themes that bring excitement, suspense, mixed feelings, and thirst for more from the audience should be another step towards becoming a better entertainment industry.