1.1 Introduction
The Nigerian Home video has spawned an industry that turns out 1000 films every year, generates 300,000 jobs every year, has a turnover of well over N5 billion yearly: With a growth rate of some 60%, the industry is bursting at the seams. These groundbreaking achievements of the Video Film as against the Lethargy of celluloid film as forms of media production in Africa indicate a call for an urgent revision of the concept of filmmaking in the continent.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of the Study
According to Neusroom (2021), Oyenusi was a vicious armed robber who terrorised Lagos and other states from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. He was comparable only to Lawrence Anini who also led a reign of terror a decade after Oyenusi’s execution (Neusroom, 2021).
“He (Oyenusi) was an expert robber and was ruthless and very notorious because that was the first time we experienced a case of armed robbery,” Abubakar Tsav, a former Lagos Commissioner of Police who was an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Lagos during the notorious days of Oyenusi told The Punch in March 2020.
‘Dr’ as he was fondly called wanted to make money and ride big cars to avenge the ‘humiliation’ at Ebute-Metta. He was ready to do anything as long as it would bring the kind of life he dreamt of leading. At 20 he took to armed robbery. It was February 1965, the same year he claimed a car owner splashed mud water on him. Newspaper reports seen at the National Archive, the University of Ibadan by Neusroom, said he had practiced as a fake doctor administering illegal injections on patients. That was the origin of his Dr. Prefix (Neusroom, 2021). He also enrolled as an apprentice at a mechanic workshop on Itire road in Surulere, Lagos, where he met Babatunde Folorunsho, the man who would become his partner. Their partnership and thirst for quick wealth led them to abandon the mechanic workshop for a career in armed robbery (Neusroom, 2021).
In contemporary Africa, one of the greatest pastimes is the Video Film. It has become a newfound love for the African mind. This is largely due to its accessibility to huge audience including children and adolescents as compared to an older form of media production like the cinema. Larkin (2002:14) says: African Video Films refer to the rise of filmmaking in Nigeria that is shot straight on video, but still referred to locally as “films”. These films are not the art cinema more usually seen in African film festivals, but truly popular, meaning not only that they command huge African audience, but also their production and financing is dependent entirely on how well they perform in the market place. Along with the rise of Video Film many people (Africans and non-Africans) especially Nigeria are beginning to worry about our home movies and films: How and what the actors and actresses are acting. Modern Man lives under the shadow of an ever-present threat of self annihilation; “advances in technology have equipped mankind with that much at least. The much sought for technology has become something akin to the Frankenstein Monster”. (Wollstonecraft 1931:10) Nowhere is this more apparent than in the mass media that it has left concerned persons with many questions. Felid (1991:10) argues that: The media has been said to be very powerful in moulding and shaping popular opinion because a single message is transmitted simultaneously to missions of people. Their effects are personal, dramatic and immediate. The fears articulated by Field are not unfounded when one sees the monumental transformations that information technology has wrought in the world within the second half of the twentieth century. It is currently being speculated that information technology replicates every three years. As it grows so it influences. Mba E; The Director General; National film and video Censor Board in his speech to the Youth Achievers Conference Abuja on March 31st 2006, also highlighted the tremendous impact mass media, especially the motion picture has on the social and economic development of any country especially our beloved country Nigeria. He comments that: There is no doubt that we are in the information age and faced with the challenges of globalization and that most countries now realize that if the society is to develop it must embrace globalization and transform into a knowledge or information society. And that today, more than at any other time in human history, people not only know what is going on around the world and more familiar to other cultures through multi-media such as news, radio, music, film and internet, they often demand it as their “democratic right” (Mba 2002:23-3). The Video Film and films shot on electromagnetic tape is readily produced with a shoe string budget. Apart from the inexpensive nature of this form of media production, the masses in much of Africa especially Nigerians are readily reached. The home Video Film has thus become very popular amongst Africans. Interesting too, it has become a veritable expression of African modernity in terms of Mass culture. Looking at both forms of mass media production from the standpoints of economics of scale and production output could be revealing as well as instructive. In Africa, Video Films are-easily and readily produced as against that of traditional cinema. Larkin (2003:194) points out that; in 1999 over 500 Video Films were produced in Nigeria. This means that, in this one year alone, more Video Films were produced than in the entire history of feature film production in this country. From almost 10 years ago, Video Films have blossomed to become perhaps the most vibrant new form of media production in Africa.
Perhaps, only the most absurd liberal would refuse to believe that just as movies can help bring about positive changes in beliefs, lifestyles and behaviour, they could also cause negative changes. In Nigeria today, Government, parents and even consumers have cried out against the negative content of our movies, vast majority of them containing ritual scenes, graphic- groups, and the abuse of our cherished institutions.
Mba (2002:23 - 3) comments in his speeches to the youths in Abuja that: “I can’t count up to ten movies that portray Nigeria and its institutions as professional or something one should look up to.
However, looking at the situation today, it is heart rending, as the giant of Africa remains a wishful thinking and nice dream of a paradise of some sort yet to be realized. It is in this light that one can observe that the plight of the Home video and movies industry is on account of the contradictions contained in our religious and social structures. The reality of video industry is a situation, which demands further research. The hue and cry is not all for nothing.
1.3 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed that Home Video Industry in Nigeria is barely more than a decade, it commands a household name. It commands a very large and active audience and it covers every aspect of the Nigerian society.
Its impact on the areas of the culture, religion and morality has generated a lot of uneasiness. Fear looms heavily in the mind of conservatives about the possible results of the incursion into the traditional value of culture and morality.
Some calm these fears by saying that, “it is only entertainment, it is just to help people relax and take time off the medium of their chores. There is nothing to be apprehensive “about”.
They say it does not raise any pertinent moral questions. But the reality of the video industry confronts us with a situation which demands immediate response. How did the Video Film phenomenon which is fondly referred to as “Home video”, “Nollywood” “naijawood”, among others, in the Nigerian media culture emerge? What sort of reception does audience elsewhere accord Nigeria Video Films? And why do they grant the films such reception? These are the issues which the researcher wishes to address.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this research is to investigate the Influence of Nigerian Home Video Films on Criminality using Oyenusi by Odunlade Adekola as a Case Study. In achieving this aim, the specific objectives were set out as follows:
- To investigate the recent concern expressed about home video films on criminality by some Nigerians.
- To find out the attitude of the artists and the producers to the reasons for the concerns.
- To analyze the feeling of the populace as consumers and observers towards the Home video files on criminality.
- To examine the socio-moral behaviour and cultural implications of the new culture of video watching in the lives of people in Nigeria.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This work itself will form part of library research for further research on this topic.
- The information provided in this work will be useful not only to the general public, but also for posterity.
- It will be an addition to the numerous literatures on the subject in the library etc.
- The work will be of great benefit to future researchers on a similar topic or subject, either by criticizing or developing it to a high grade.
1.6 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Do home movies on criminality have any Influence on Socio-moral Behaviors of youths?
- Does home video facilitate crime prevention in Nigeria youths?
- Does movie industry have negative impact on youths in Nigeria?
- What type of Influence do students have on home movies dressing pattern?
- How do these students perceive dress pattern on home movies?
1.7 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant difference between Socio-moral Behaviors and Crime Prevention in the youths of Nigeria
- H1: There is a significant difference between Socio-moral Behaviors and Crime Prevention in the youths of Nigeria
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is negative impact of home video films on criminality in the youths of Nigeria
- H1: There is positive impact of home video films on criminality in the youths of Nigeria
1.8 Scope of the Study
This work will concentrate on the entire activities of Influence of Nigerian Home Video Films on Criminality using Oyenusi By Odunlade Adekola as a Case Study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Lack of Initial Cooperation from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Criminal films:
This is the portrayal of human stealing or criminality acts on movie screen by an actor / actress.
Morality:
Morality is a household word in our contemporary society. It is also the actions valued as good or evil according as they contribute to the realization of the values of happiness, self-perception or temporal progress.
Home Movies:
This is any pre-recorded media films played and viewed by people with their movie players in their homes or movie clubs.
Pattern of Dressing:
This is refers to the choice or type of dressing or clothing preferred by a certain group of people.
Influence:
This is the impact something or someone has on something or someone else. This could be positive or negative.
