CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF STUDY

        Prior to the advent of modern technology and science advancement, life was simple and less demanding even though primitive. Men and women engage themselves in activities that could occupy their time and still give them time to rest. Children at era were more responsible; since they had little or no source of distraction other than going for moonlight tales (Uganwa, 2009). With the emergency of technology and some sorts of electrical facilities or devices standard of living were greatly changed and improved.

The pleasure the present age is enjoying was not available to olden day’s people, even though it is not without negativity. Modern technology comes in with a lot of joy, comfort and easy life alongside with disengagement, distraction and disaster. One of most interesting and exciting inventions of modern technology is the invention of home video.

There is hardly any home today without a nollywood. Unfortunately people are carried away by the pleasure of nollywood without cross examining the negative influence of nollywood on our lives especially with particular reference to the youths. A situation where the young people could spend three to four hours watching nollywood movie or videos could justify the fact that home videos/movies viewing among young people have engendered myriads of bad habits and behaviours.

        In most homes, many adolescent and youths glued their eyes on the nollywood watching movies of all kinds. Some movies that are may adversely affect their emotion, psychic, moral behaviour and cognitive development. The prevalence of immoral behaviour among youths has been linked with the types of programmes, movies they view. Recent research has shown that high rate of crimes in Nigerian schools and society at large could be related to influences of bad movies or videos they watch. For instance, the display of pornographic films or shown during most the Nigerian movies has affected many youths and exposed them to all forms of sexual harassment like practice of homosexuality, incest to mention but a few. Practices like adultery, witch craft and ritual practices are glamorously shown; and most of the young people do not border about the end of the practice which is usually shown at the end of the movies. Marriages and family breakdown is being trivialized.

        The effect of nollywood movies could be seen in different ways ranging from presenting model of behaviour for the viewers, information to viewers that extend far beyond one’s personal experience or environment and lastly to suggesting appropriate values and ideas for particular positions among others. Psychologists and sociologist has confirmed that people especially the youth are highly influenced by what they see to a great extent very gullible. Most young people accept it as subconsciously as an acceptable code of conduct in a contemporary society no wonder the popular slogan among Nigerian youth is “the in thing”.

        Tertiary institutions, in other words, have made cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, prostitution, violence and indicent dressing amongst the students to be rampant instead to be in curbing side of it.

Meanwhile these movies are expected to bring storyline that could promote our cultural heritages and good values since they are produced by our indigenous film industries that knows how the people dislike violence and immorality rather they are on the contrary.

Some  Nollywood movies values and introduces prostitution as the only way out for the female students whose situation could not pay their school fees, as if prostitution is the solution and answer to the poverty as copied from the movies called “white Hunters” in this movie, they failed to show our students that are in financial quagmire or predicament that the normal thing to do is to develop appetite for menial jobs.

The movies’ “the kidnappers” showcased out social vices and atrocious behaviour, the veracity remains that the effect of such movies on students of tertiary institutions  has very egregious effect. Now umpteen of our students believes that getting on top is the apex of making money and the easiest way to make money is by dubious means.

Some movies introduces indecent dressing, this has amplified the chilly trend to some female students walks around the campus half naked in the name of making fashions campaign. Female students have borrowed lessons from our female students by engaging in this dilapidating trend.

Our male student today likes putting on what we know as sagging. Our female and male students works around the town, school environments and places half naked in the name of fashions, it is because of the negative teaching of Nollywood movies such movies creates conflict of reasoning. Most times changes ideas and orientation thereby causing violence in our institution. Nowadays, our institutions are dumping ground of mediocre. 

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The effect of Nollywood movies on the students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria is very paramount to the society now that most students in their leisure enjoy viewing movies. Nollywood movies command a large active audience and it is almost part and parcel of every Nigerian society. The impact of home video on culture, religion and moral behaviour has generated a lot of concern and uneasiness to many Nigerians. Much fear looms in the area of traditional values and culture of Nigerian nation; even though some claims that it is merely for entertainment and as such does not raise any pertinent moral questions.

Nollywood movies is not just an entertainment but has greatly affected the lifestyle of students in terms of dressing, manner of approach, reasoning, as well as social behavior of students. Finally, several researches has been carried out on foreign nollywood representation and the perception of Nigeria image by youth in some selected universities in Nigeria but not even a single research has been carried out on the influence of nollywood movies on the lifestyle of crescent university students.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

        The main aim of the study is to determine the influence of nollywood movies on the lifestyle of crescent university students. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the extent to which nollywood movies affects the lifestyle of crescent university students.
2. to determine the effect of nollywood vices as promoted by nollywood movies on crescent university students.
3. to determine the social views of nollywood movies on the students of crescent university.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS               

1. What is the extent to which nollywood movies affects the lifestyle of crescent university students?
2. What is the effect of nollywood vices as promoted by nollywood movies on crescent university students?
3. What are the social views of nollywood movies on the students of crescent university?
4. What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0:    Nollywood movies have no significant effect on the lifestyle of crescent university students.

H1:      Nollywood movies have significant effect on the lifestyle of crescent university students.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

        The study on the influence of nollywood movies on the lifestyle of crescent university students will be of immense benefit to the entire students of crescent university in the sense that it will enable parents as a matter of fact to direct and restrict what their children watch. This means that parents has to devote time to teach children on the positive and negative effect of what they view; by so doing, the training they get from home to the higher institution will still remain in them irrespective of wherever they find themselves. Since nollywood movies have tremendous impact on all, therefore, it is necessary to manage it properly in other for the desired effect to be achieved.  

There is immeasurable significance of Nollywood movies on the students, tertiary institutions are dumping grounds of prostitutes, armed robbers etc. These students, most times exhibits what they see on Nollywood films. As each day passes negative information continues to influence the way of life of the students. The study will anatomize critically on the introduction of Nollywood movies in Nigeria, its purpose and achievement so far. Not only that, it will also look at the effect of these movies on its viewers most especially students and how it has contributed to social ill in our campuses. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.7   SCOPE OF STUDY

        The study on the influence of nollywood movies on the lifestyle is limited to crescent university students.

1.8   LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Influence         The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Nollywood       Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry.

Lifestyle  Is the interests, opinions, behaviours, and behavioural orientations of an individual, group, or culture.