The Contemporary Yoruba Film Industry and the Question of Identity

Abstract

The developmental trends of the contemporary Yoruba film industry reveal the movement from the arena to the stage, the television screen, the celluloid and the video film in chronological order. The theatre stage of the Yoruba entertainment industry was a reflection of the cosmology of the ethnic nationality in terms of linguistic preference (the indigenous language), thematic choice and expression, as well as the sociological and political relevance of the performance to the identity question. With the transition from the traditional theatre to the modern medium of video film, the Yoruba film industry has been characterised by identity problem, as shown in the choice of language, the mindless adaptation of Hollywood and Bollywood films, the celebration of violence and unwholesome expression of Yoruba cultural episteme. All these shortfalls are reflections of identity questions since every film, irrespective of climes and nationalities, is expected to be a cultural artefact, providing an insight for an alien to such culture. The paper, therefore, traces the historical development of Yoruba film industry, identifies the shortfalls in the industry and how all these have been affecting the construction of cultural identity, and then offers some suggestions on how to improve the state of the contemporary Yoruba film industry. It is concluded that video film has emerged as a popular medium of entertainment, and hence, its opportunities should be used to ensure sustainable cultural identity for the Yoruba nationality in particular, and other ethnic nationalities, in general.