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Juju Movies: How Nollywood Is Damaging The Image Of Nigeria Worldwide
April 1st, 2016 – How Nollywood Is Damaging The Image Of Nigeria & The Nigerian Police Force All Over The World
Nollywood Movies Portraying Nigeria As A Juju Land All Over The World
Nollywood movie watchers cannot miss the despicable manner policemen and women, officers and men, are portrayed. They are presented in the most embarrassing manner imaginable. Torturers. Unimaginative. Unintelligent. Murderers. Armed robbers. Kidnappers. Those who connive with criminals to do the despicable, including rape. They are involved in all kinds of crimes, the least of them: bribe taking. As far as Nollywood is concerned, there is no good policeman or woman. They are all rotten.
Movies are make-belief. They are written and acted to be as real as possible. The portrayal of Police personnel by Nollywood is nowhere near that. It is a scandal. A big shame on both the Police and Nigeria as a country. Neither their manner of speech, approach, behaviour, dressing, interrogation, nor even the vehicles they use represent the Nigeria Police or its personnel.
Nollywood is a global brand. During an informal discussion a few of us had a couple of years back with the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, she confessed she never took a look at Nollywood movies until she went to Nairobi, Kenya, for a conference. There, she saw high profile Kenyans watching and discussing Nollywood. That was when she took note, and became aware of how much the industry has contributed to the Nigerian economy. Sure.
It is not only influential, it is one of our notable exports. Is that not why Time Magazine noticed Nigeria’s actress, Omotola Jolade – Ekeinde, and recognised her as one of the most influential persons in the world? It also mirrors our everyday lives and, in a way, shapes it. And, not only does it get rid of our stress, it contributes hugely to our economy. Sadly, however, it is also damaging the image of Nigeria. The movies are watched the world over. Nigerians in the diaspora have an affinity with Nigeria, at times, by watching Nollywood movies. Quite a number of them, for reasons best known to them, believe the worst of their country, Nigeria. Not surprising, they worry about the security situation. Aside from Boko Haram, those of them from the South worry about kidnapping and armed robbery.
So, when they watch these movies, and see the despicable roles police play, they shrink, and conclude that coming home is dangerous since the police, instead of protecting them, or being their friend, would connive with criminals and do them in. That is the shocking impression Nollywood has given the world about the Nigeria Police. But worse is that all these years, succeeding Police authorities turned a blind eye to this disgrace. They cannot feign ignorance of this damage. And I don’t believe they are helpless.
As a Commissioner on the Police Service Commission, I am embarrassed by it. The other day, one of the girls in my house asked me: “Sister, why do these policemen treat Nigerians this way? Why can’t you people stop them?” Until I explained, she had no way of knowing that what Nollywood is presenting is a far cry from the behaviour and operation of the Nigeria Police.
I had cause to discuss it, recently, separately, with both IGP Arase and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, himself, a retired IGP. Arase said he had, once, discussed it with the National Film and Video Censors Board. Okiro told me much the same. But after that, what next? What were the actions taken? Who has been punished?
For the records, it is not only the Police that Nollywood is using to destroy Nigeria’s image. The industry has also presented Nigeria as a country of fetish people, a country of juju. It is nauseating. The juju damage to the country shone through, recently, during the African Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) which held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Salvador, a Comedian from Uganda, described Nigeria as the ‘land of juju’. That is the image Nollywood has created about our country. Nollywood should refocus. Nigeria has a rich culture, and Nollywood can portray them.
We are also a compassionate and hard working people, and we have remained one country in spite of our ups and downs. We are not all about juju and crimes. Internationally, our police personnel remain some of the best.
But back to Arase and Simon. When the Constable asked the questions, taken-aback, Arase praised him for speaking-out, for his courage, for his concern for the image of the Police. He also expressed his own concern and worry, and promised to take action. As a reward, he promoted him, deservedly, to the rank of a Corporal, and decorated him immediately.
Let’s hope that the concern of this policeman will push the IGP, Okiro and others to stop Nollywood from a further destruction of the image of the Nigeria Police and Nigeria before the world. It is disgraceful.
[Obi is the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of The Source Magazine]
Maryf
April 1, 2016 at 8:15 AM
This movie must be interesting. Here they will expose those men and women in black that claim to be officers while they are the criminals. I hate police officers.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:06 PM
I am sure that you would not be offended if I said that I hate Nigerians because they are always involved in drug trafficking, and Africans on the whole because they are always fighting and involved in witchcraft. That, undoubtedly, would enable you to see how foolish you are for hating police officers. You would not let any of them save you from being robbed or raped? Would you? You need to see the world through two eyes.
Maryf
April 6, 2016 at 3:32 PM
You are the BIGGER FOOL for what I wrote to affect you. It practically means you or any of your relative are among the FOOLISH MEN in uniform oppressing innocent people here and there, not only in Nigeria but also the world at large. I piece of advice, if you or your son/relative is among men in uniform abusing it and making the good ones hardly notice, you better change, because God will punish them in his right time.
olaizo
April 1, 2016 at 8:30 AM
i see nothing wrong in what they are doing, Hollywood are doing what relate to their world their, and Nollywood are doing what is actually happening here.
Bollywood do what concern their life pattern in India….so if the right Boss in Nigeria sees this as bad things and its damaging our image outside then correct your ministry.
When our police started working perfectly, then the filming about police will change as well.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:17 PM
If you are correct, we should not criticize Hollywood for their history of portraying Africans in negative light–as domestic servants, savages with jungle mentality, drug pushers and others with anti-social behaviour. ONE COULD SAY THAT WHEN AFRICANS START TO BEHAVE LIKE CIVILIZED BEINGS, THEY WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEMAND TO BE DECENTLY PORTRAYED. I hope I have managed to let you see how foolish your thoughts on the matter are. The police, despite their shortcomings, are part of the front line against decent hooliganism. The police are not perfect: pick the side you wish to cheer or encourage.
Ossai Osunde
April 1, 2016 at 8:45 AM
i love the site, can i the pleasure to get to know the editors and founders.
fifelomo
April 1, 2016 at 9:01 AM
Looks promising, a movie to watch.
sola olaniyi
April 1, 2016 at 9:15 AM
Nollywood is not damaging any image
my lady
April 1, 2016 at 9:38 AM
what they are acting is exactly the way it is period
Amazon
April 1, 2016 at 10:14 AM
But that’s the truth naa, that’s the real image of our country. Nollywood can’t portray what they have not witnessed before in the country
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:21 PM
I AM PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST LOYAL FOLLOWER OF NOLLYWOOD, WHICH I “DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT” EIGHT YEARS AGO. I AGREE THAT ALMOST EVERY FILM CONSISTS OF WITCHCRAFT AND DISHONESTY POLICING. ARE OUTSIDERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY BAD THING HAPPEN IN NIGERIA? THERE MUST BE HONEST, DECENT PEOPLE WORKING AND LIVING IN HARMONY.
Abolaji Abayomi Godwin
April 1, 2016 at 11:02 AM
Truth is bitter !
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:22 PM
The truth become falsehood if it is not told in its entirety, when need be.
Joy
April 1, 2016 at 11:02 AM
Ng may God continue to bless u. this article is top, i live In France i Know what i ve experienced concerning how non nigerians see us we already have à bad image, nigerian movies now worsen the situation.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:26 PM
I am and African from the Caribbean and a most loyal follower of Nollywood. I must confess that I do wonder why almost every folk have to involve witchcraft and sometimes police brutality. Should we not strive to present a balanced view of what goes on?
LOve
April 1, 2016 at 11:11 AM
I don’t agree they are portraying the Nigerian police in a wrong way
Joy
April 1, 2016 at 11:15 AM
@ olaizo, you are right but must that be the only image they portray? Must they exaggerate it ? Now that they have destroyed d image of Nigeria by over exposing the dirtiness does that make those guilty of the evil change their ways?? Pls try to give answers if u care thanks
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Joy, you are correct. There is need for a balanced portrayal, as opposed to the common trend to spread propaganda.
Asumathias
April 1, 2016 at 11:47 AM
We better change for good in this country. Nollywood is acting the truth. Are there no witches/wizard in Nigeria and in the world over? Are there no crimes committed everyday – kidnapping, killing, sexual abuse etc. Arm rubberies happen on a daily basis and what the police do is to appear after the act has been committed as is being buttressed in Nollywood. It would be nice if we can correct our mistakes and forge forward.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:32 PM
If what you are saying is correct, foreigners should shun Nigeria and Nigerians.
Metu Nyetu
April 1, 2016 at 12:01 PM
Time wasters and dreamers. You employ imbeciles and litter your work force with greedy pot-belly crooks and expect nollywood to launder your image. Better wake up! Nollywood does not invent anything originally: we all know this. And so if they potray the Nigeria Police as corrupt and colluding with robbers, just know that it is what actually happens in the country. If you are bothered about that, do something about the police force and see whether nollywood would not start writing good scripts about you people.
This is why I say that the Nigeria Police is so lazy, clueless and evasive to simple solutions. Here is a simple case they should have looked inside themselves to solve, yet all their focus is on nollywood. Nonsense.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:36 PM
THE POLICE ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PUBLIC FROM WHICH THEY COME AND SERVE. IF WHAT YOU HAVE SAID IT CORRECT, PEOPLE SHOULD SHUN NIGERIANS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. FORTUNATELY, I BELIEVE THAT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU AND OTHERS THINK, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF DECENT NIGERIANS IN ALL WALKS OF LIKE IN THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD.
Olanrewaju
April 1, 2016 at 12:39 PM
I strongly disagree with this article….Not all our movies portray Nigeria as a juju land.
remmy
April 1, 2016 at 1:04 PM
If iam the actos of Nollywood, i will exposed more of them, i will tell the world that Nigerian police is a night mare to its citizen,they are behind any crime in nigerian, any kidnappings, cult, rituals, not talk of bibry and cooruption, extra judicial killings are carried out by nigerian police, infact all kind of crime are with them, why complaning, its your behaviour that we are watching for us to becareful with nigerian police, they have courpted Nigerian Army also, i mean all forces in nigeria are bad, except few out 1 million, so you will like the citizen to keep quite while you kill all of us, if they ask for bribe, you refused, the acused you of armed robbery, shame, please Nollywood stars keep on doing what you are doing, exposed them more.
D Hunter
April 1, 2016 at 1:39 PM
This goes out to all the Nigerians in diaspora. What you watch in Nollywood is similar to what you watch in Hollywood. All are mere make-believe.
Most of the things we fear in life do NOT come the way we fear them.
Otherwise, nobody will ever desire to come over to any part of overseas considering all the sporadic shootings, the vampires, the Mummys, all the horrific scenes in Hollywood.
#mystrollingcontinues#
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:39 PM
SO WE SHOULD EMULATE HOLLYWOOD SLACKNESS? HOLLYWOOD HAS LONG PORTRAYED AFRICANS AS SAVAGES; WE SHOULD NOT TRY TO STOP THAT? NOLLYWOOD NEED TO PAINT A MORE BALANCED PICTURE OF LIFE IN NIGERIA, INCLUDING A LOT OF THE GOOD THINGS TAKING PLACE.
Maryf
April 1, 2016 at 3:12 PM
They are only acting what is happening in Nigeria. So if they don’t act what’s happening, what do you wish they act?
Jilo
April 1, 2016 at 4:27 PM
You are talking about how Nollywood is destroying Nigerian police image, what do you want them to do? cover up the series of atrocities this entity are committing every single day and present them differently to the outside world? it is not only Nollywood that is uncovering the bad behavior of our law enforcement. What about other reports covered by the news media? you don’t have to be paid to portray this body as saint, this what is actually happening in Nigeria. Although not every single Nigerian Police is bad, we still have some good corps among them but the bad ones make it difficult to give them good rating. If Nigeria Police wants to redeem its image, it has to start dealing with the bad eggs among them. Nigerian Police needs to take an extra steps that will make it difficult for the unscrupulous among them to stay in service.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:42 PM
IF THERE ARE NO GOOD POLICE OFFICERS AROUND, ONE HAS TO CONCLUDE THAT NIGERIAN SOCIETY IS IN A MESS, SEEING THAT ALL NATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE GOOD AND BAD IN ALL ASPECTS OF SOCIETY.
Cefo
April 1, 2016 at 4:31 PM
It is not as if Nollywood is tarnishing Nigerian Police Image,it is the fact about Nigerian Police they are portraying.The other day I was coming back from Idumota market,on getting to Broad Street a police van came from behind and blocked a load carrier who carried a carton of goods for a buyer,if not that the owner of the goods was with the carrier,both the carrier and the goods would become a history.The most annoying thing these police officers not always doing was that,they left the hide out of criminals they supposed to go after only to come to the market place to disturbe the peace of the people.
Marcus Garvey ll
April 1, 2016 at 7:46 PM
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS SIMILAR TO WHITES USING A FEW BAD EXAMPLES TO LABEL SOME AFRICAN NATIONS OR THE ENTIRE RACE. I AM SURE THAT YOU WOULD NOT MIND GOING FOR AN INTERVIEW AND BE TREATED DISRESPECTFULLY BECAUSE OF WHAT SOME OF YOUR COUNTRY FOLKS HAVE DONE. WE ARE IN TROUBLE!
Metu Nyetu
April 2, 2016 at 6:30 PM
Bros Marcus, we are not talking about a few bad policemen. Maybe you need to take a vacation to this country. Over 95% of the police force is corrupt. That is the staggaring truth.
Abolaji Abayomi Godwin
April 2, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Let truth B told some of these atroucities mentioned in this article are not only practise in Nigeria alone. Other countries in D same shoe with Nigeria will only give kudos 2 Nigerian nollywood. Other countries which are seeing Nigeria as a bad country are doing D worst. Eg, same sex marriage !. Kudos 2 Nigerian Nollwood !
omevwe(i am)
April 2, 2016 at 3:05 PM
Marcus garvin II,don’t u know by now that my lady just post comments based on d fact DAT she wants to be among top commentators?
omevwe(i am)
April 2, 2016 at 3:14 PM
Marcus Garvey II,don’t u know maryf comments just bcos of talking sake?Nothing to learn from most of dem.I gbadu D Hunter,metu,egberi mama,bench.e.t.c.They always have something to inspire & motivate but JoJo & maryf,dem b like aproko house wife.
sexykate
April 2, 2016 at 5:15 PM
truth be told
Metu Nyetu
April 2, 2016 at 6:26 PM
@Marcus Garvey, I do not know from which part of the world you comment, but if you have ever lived in Nigeria as a simple, everyday citizen, you would appreciate our feelings. A singer once sang in his song that he did not know his human rights were not captured in Nigeria’s constitution(Niggar Raw, now Mr Raw).
As a poor man in Nigeria, without political connections, you are just in the mercy of these evil policemen that maltreat and brutalise and deny people their human rights. All that the police is after making money, not fighting crime. You report your case to the police and they would just be looking at your hand. If nothing comes from there, well, your name is sorry.
A policeman packs your car to check your particulars, if you do not watch him closely, he would hide one or two papers and threaten to take you to the station. This is the NPF for us. You take sides with them because you are either one of them or you are fortunate enough to be living in a part of the world where the police is responsible.
superlaj
April 3, 2016 at 6:34 AM
chai