Abstract

In recent times, it has been noted that a change is taking place as regards the mode of dressing by the younger population. Movies are powerful instruments that can build or destroy a people’s culture due to their conversational nature. It also plays a role in the daily lives of men and women in the way they perceive and conceived themselves and in the way they conduct their own lives.

The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of Nollywood dressing on the dressing habits of youths in tertiary institutions in Cameroon. Specifically, the study sought to explore the University students’ perception of dress patterns in Nollywood Movies, find out if Nollywood films influence the dressing habit of Youths at the University of Buea, and determine how to dissuade youths from indecent dressing.

The survey design was used to gather the data for the study in which 100 questionnaires were administered among students of The University of Buea, using convenient simple random sampling techniques.

Findings showed that hip hop/hippies, corporate/cocktail, and makeup/hairstyle are the most imitated forms/styles of dressings by youths in Nollywood films and that such forms of dressing to a large extent influences youths choice of dressing.

Based on the findings, the following recommendations proffered for reversing the trend are proper parenting and counseling, uncompromising religious teaching, and establishment of dress codes by tertiary institutions.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study 

The media have a very influential role in today’s world. It has a huge effect on people as it allows them to make choices and take various decisions on a variety of topics, one of which is their dressing habit. Not only does it affect the way people view various aspects of their lives, but it has also acted as a reference on a variety of subjects, including the design and pattern of the dress they wear. This is most evident when seen from the viewpoint of foreign films that people see for their recreation and entertainment.

In discussing the Influence of Nollywood movies on the dressing pattern of students of tertiary institutions in Cameroon, it is imperative to mention discourses on media influence. This is because Nollywood movies are a mode of media transmission within the English-Speaking countries of Africa. In all of the researches, the area of media Influence appears to be the most contentious. The concern about the impact of the media has led to the creation of various communication theories. This is an attempt to clarify the connection between communication messages and the respondent’s power.

Aldana (2004), argues that “movies are a powerful tool that can create or kill a people’s culture because of its conversational nature. It also plays a part in the everyday lives of men and women in the way they view and conceive themselves and in the way they lead their own lives.”

It has been suggested that people are more likely to imitate patterns of actions seen in the media if they hope to be rewarded by emulating someone else. Conduct is conditioned not only by personal or live models but also by those portrayed in mass media” (Wogu, 2008).

Wilson and Goldfarb (2002), consider dressing or costume to have a critical role in the art of communication. They describe six (6) dressing/customs goals, three of which include the following: an indication of the historical period of play and the locality in which it is set; the second, an indication of the existence of the individual character or group in the play; their place of life, their professions, their personalities (their age, their outlook on life); and the third, an indication of the relationship between characters.

The genre of home cinema has come a long way in Nigeria. Akpan (2002), states that Nigeria’s film arrival came with the colonial government setting up a film unit as part of the information department. And this, after independence, was inherited by Nigeria and became part of the information ministry. Akpan further states, however, that, the production of feature films in the film format started in the late 1980s, in Nigeria.

Studies show that in 1992, the home film, Living in Slavery, was released, set the stage for the Nigerian Indigenous Home Movie, commonly known as Nollywood. This industry has continued to grow and explode to a greater extent, pushing foreign media outlets across Nigeria and other parts of Africa off the shelves of movie rental stores. (Uwakwe, 2010). Nollywood is thus the household name of the Nigerian film industry, which by definition means the Nigerian film industry for the Nigerian audience by the Nigerian production team.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In recent times, it has been noted that a change is taking place as regards to the mode of dressing by the younger population. Omede (2011) in Nigeria for example, notes that indecent appearance has come to characterize the dress pattern of many students on the campuses of higher learning in Nigeria. There is hardly any higher institution of learning in this country that is not faced with this nauseating problem. The way students on these campuses of learning particularly, the female ones, dress seductively leaves much to be desired. What the girls call skirts that they wear is just “one inch” longer than their pants. When they put on such dresses, they struggle to sit down, find difficulty in climbing machines, cross gutters as well as pick anything from the ground (Omede, 2011).

An inspection of some of the Nollywood films would show that they depict nudity, while some of the films depict costumes that represent the rich culture of Nigeria, manifested in their traditional dressing style. Media and cultural studies have noted that dressing represents the culture of an individual (Omede, 2011).

For a long time, social scientists and policymakers have been concerned about the impact of films and television, especially on young people and students. The argument is that such exposure leads young people, among others, to risk-taking habits, including risky sex, alcohol use, transposition and adaptation of international values and norms, and abuse.

Vasan (2010), posits that a considerable body of research from developed countries, particularly the US, suggests that visual media influence a broad range of attitudes and behaviours among young people and may exacerbate risky practices. Furthermore, students are exposed to foreign films. This exposure is premised on the fact that students want to learn about other cultures. As a result, the film is a powerful medium of mass communication and has influenced several aspects of people’s attitudes and behaviour including choice and taste of dressing habits.

Nollywood movies are not entertainment but have greatly affected the lifestyle of students in terms of dressing, manner of approach, reasoning, as well as social behaviour of the students. Finally, several types of research have been carried out on foreign Nollywood representation and the perception of Nigeria Image by youth in Nollywood movies on the lifestyle of Nigerian Youths, but no such studies have been undertaken in Cameroon and precisely none among University students in Buea. It is against this background that this work seeks to investigate the Influence of Nollywood dressing on the dressing habits of youths in tertiary institutions in Cameroon.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1.3.1 Main Objective

The objective of the study is to examine the influence of Nollywood dressing on the dressing habits of youths in tertiary institutions in Cameroon.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To explore the University students’ perception of dress patterns in Nollywood Movies.
2. To find out if Nollywood films influence the dressing habit of Youths at the University of Buea.
3. To determine how to dissuade youths from indecent dressing.