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 (O’Rork, 2006).
Nollywood as we have it today is a refined product of what started many
years back in Nigeria. Before the advent of film production in Nigeria, foreign
films were exhibited in the major cities in the country. Film exhibition is said
to have thrived during the colonial era, with Glover Memorial Hall showing
memorable films in August 1903 (Baran, 2009).
The history of censorship of films in Nigeria indeed started very long
before independence. It sought to check what is healthy and what is not
healthy to watch. The Censor’s body later became Federal Board of Film
Censors which got it powers from the 1948 Cinematography Laws of Nigeria.
In fact, the present National Film and Video Censorship Board came into
existence by virtue of decree, now Act85 of 1993.
The value of Nollywood movies as a medium of mass communication
is esteemed all over the world. In Nigeria there are over one million audiences
of Nollywood movies film who are affected in one way or the another, the
subjects treated in Nigerian nollyhood movies. These movies portray message
that have influence on the viewers, mostly, their mode of dressing.
Movies hold a very special place in the culture of a people. Movies, like
books, are a culturally special medium, an important medium of cultural
transmission (Baran, 2009). Studies show that movies contribute to
socilatization and the transmission of culture (Baran, 2009).
Research has shown that there exists a relationship between the mass
media and social ills and other behavioural and attitudinal change in the
society. For instance, the media are attributed considerable power to shape
opinion and belief, change, habits and actively moulding behavior and
imposing political system even against resistance.
The concern on media influence has led to the development of different
communication theories. This is an attempt to explain the relationship
between communication messages and their influence on the respondents.
O’Rork (2006) and Wogu (2008) argue that audiences are more likely to
emulate models of behavior seen on the media if they expect to receive
gratification from emulating another person. Behaviour is influenced not only
by personal or live models but by those presented in the mass media (O’Rork,
2006).
Analysis on Media Influence continue to show that the media have
influence on the pattern of bahaviour of its audience (Uwakwe, 2010). Okunna
opines that because of their special power to affect the way people think feel,
and behave, the mass media have been credited with incredible persuasive
ability to change attitude and behavior. Culturally, this media influence could
be in the area of language, behavioural response, pattern of eating and
dressing.
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. In Nigeria for example,
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.
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 Nigeria and precisely
none among Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Students. 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 Nigeria.
Nollywood movies are a veritable tools of mass communication, which
cut across national and cultural boundaries with wide and fast distributing
networks internationally. Nollywood movies are seen as source of
entertainment and education, as well as conduit for promoting Nigerian
culture.
In the face of media imperialism by foreign media and the over
shadowing of Nigeria’s cultural values and manifest, it becomes important to
examine the Nollywood movies to ascertain if it is influencing the dressing
pattern of students in tertiary institution in Akwa Ibom State.
An examination of some of the Nollywood movies will reveal that they
portray nudity while some of the movies portray costumes that reflect the rich
Nigerian culture, manifest in her traditional mode of dressing. Media and
cultural researchers have noted that dressing is a manifest reflection of a
people’s culture.
In the face of these challenges, it becomes necessary to examine the
Nollywood movies influence the dressing pattern of student tertiary
institutions in Akwa Ibom State, using Akwa Ibom State polytechnic as the
case study.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
i.
To explore the University students’ perception of dress patterns in
Nollywood Movies.
ii.
To find out if Nollywood films influence the dressing habit of student
at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic.
iii.
To determine how to dissuade youths from indecent dressing.
iv.
To Determine the effect of indecent dressing on the society
1.4
i.
Research Question
What is the perception of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students of
dress patterns in Nollywood movies.
ii.
Does Nollywood movie influence the dressing pattern of students in
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic
iii.
How can the students be dissuaded from indecent dressing
iv.
What is the effect of indecent dressing on the society
1.5
Scope of the Study
This study focused on the influence of Nollywood movie on dressing
pattern among students in tertiary institution using Akwa Ibom State
Polytechnic as the case study. This study will cover students at all levels in
the institution.
1.6
Significance of the Study
A study of this nature is important to all segments of the society. The
study will examine the extent which fashion trend amongst tertiary institution
students influenced by Nollywood celebrities mode of dressing. This will in
turn make Nollywood celebrities develop positive disposition to their mode
of dressing in a bid to improve on them.
It will guide policy makers and regulatory agencies in providing
protection against the exposure of movies that promote indecent dressing
which negates Nigeria’s cultural values in the society. It will enable the
government and policy makers to put adequate measures in place to check the
movement of Western cultures into Nigeria film sector.
The study will be beneficial to undergraduates of universities in Nigeria
in that it will serve as a source of updated information on the influence that
could be exerted through the media. It will help providing solution to lapses
in Nollywood industry especially in the aspect of promoting and preserving
Nigeria cultural heritage and social norms.
The study will also serve to further substantiate other studies that may
have be carried out on influence of Nollywood celebrities mode of dressing
on fashion trends among undergraduates in Nigeria.
Researchers who may want to further their study in any related aspect
of this research will find the research helpful as it forms bulk materials on the
film industry, media and other academic.
1.7
Limitation of the Study
This researcher faced some obstacles in the course of gathering data,
among the barriers were the unwillingness of some respondents, and
government officials to provide information was another problem.
Again, the financial constraints made it difficult for the researcher to reach a
wider public at the time frame too short.
1.8
Operational Definition of Terms
Influence: The ability of Nollywood to affect or alter the moral behavior of
students of University of Lagos especially on their dressing and fashion
pattern.
Nollywood: The Nigeria n video film industry is known as Nollywood movies
in this context which means the video films packaged by the Nigerian Home
Video Industry for home viewing or is the name attributed to Nigeria’s movie
industry. They are usually in the video cassette format or the video compact
disc format.
Nollywood Celebrities: These are actors and actresses that are participating
in movies in Nigeria that are usually very popular and have lots of fans and
followers.
Mode of Dressing: It refers to the manner of dressing including the hairstyle,
makeover among Akwa Ibom State polytechnic students.
Fashion Trends: There are various trending pattern of dress, makeover and
other emerging ways of life among students often influenced by the
Nollywood.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 History of Nollywood Movies in Nigeria
Nigeria’s film history can be partitioned into four eras: the Colonial
period (1903-1960), the Independence period (1960-1972), the Indigenization
Decree period (1972-1992), and Nollywood period (1992-present). The
Colonial era begins with the first exhibition of film in Nigeria in August 1903
at the Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos. These films were largely
documentaries. The motive for introducing the cinema to Nigeria by the
British was largely political and to a lesser extent, social. The early Nigerian
movie had some connection with African. Americans, of which one is Ossie
Davis, has directed several movies in Nigeria in the 1970s with (Okome,
1995).
In the Independence period, the Nigerian Federal and States Film Units
replaced the colonial unit, but similarly concentrated on the production of
mostly documentary and newsreel films. During the Indigenization Decree
period, Nigerian film makers tried in vain to make successful films, as the
industry attempted to promote the national unity in counterpoint to the
influence of Lebanese and Indians who dominated the distribution and
exhibition of film sector in Nigeria (Okunna, 1998).
The Nollywood era emerged as a result of several factors, one being
economics. As noted earlier, no one can claim how the name “Nollywood”
was conceptualized or whether it was first used to describe the Nigerian movie
industry. According to Haynes, the term “Nollywood” was invented by a
foreigner and first appeared in 2002 article by Matt Steinglass in The New
York Times.
Most Nigerian movies deal with social and moral issues, and the themes
addressed include betrayal, infidelity, love and revenge. The most popular
genres include love, romance, history, folklore, witchcraft, juju and drama.
Juju is a cult that is consulted for one or another when needed. It is largely
psycho-medical buttressed with power of the supernatural (Okunna, 1998).
A Nollywood movies viewing has evolved into the most timeconsuming leisure activity of the secondary school students in Enugu State.
In fact by the age of 12 most children would have spent much time watching
Nollywood movies through television and video players than doing anything
else. Nollywood movies film viewing has been the topic of much scientific
inquiry (Wade, 2012).
2.2 Nollywood and Nigerian Behaviour
Nigerian Home Video is christened Nollywood. It is made up of every
role interpreter, producers, directors and all film related workers in Nigeria.
Every actor and actress is under its umbrella body called Actors Guild of
Nigeria which is often headed by a president unanimously chosen by the group
in an election. The AMAA award in Nollywood is said to be the most
prestigious award that rewards great talents in Nigeria and Africa. The African
Movie Academy Award (AMAA) was created in 2005. Nollywood features
different themes and genres ranging from romance, revenge, betrayal, love
and hatred, religion, politics, etc., About 50,000 copies of Nollywood films
are said to be produced in about 2-3 weeks, and these films are sold even on
the offshore of Africa (Wade, 2012).
Nollywood has indeed flourished and has continued to gain prominence
in all nooks and crannies of Africa. In the remotest of the villages where there
is no electricity, the power generating sets take charge of supplying power to
televisions for the community to watch Nollywood films. In essence, almost
every community in Nigeria has access to Nigerian films. It therefore means
Nollywood enjoys a very wide audience in Africa especially in Nigeria. It is
watched by different categories of people all over Africa. And because it
appeals to people, they watch. And because they watch, they learn and try to
identify with it. This identification most often goes beyond the themes
portrayed in the films as most people get attracted to the actors and actresses
who feature therein. They begin to see and copy some things from these
idolized models. They refuse to scan the things they copy because to them,
everything by stars is the gospel truth. Okunna (1998) commenting on the
influence of the media corroborates thus:
All the media of mass communication-radio, television, newspapers,
books, cinema, magazine etc., are today available to Nigerians, and the
exposure to these media takes place daily, directly or indirectly. It is now
commonplace to notice how massively and apparently unconsciously
exposure to mass communication takes place among Nigerians – how an
individual unconsciously positions himself/herself in front of a television set
to watch a programme on the screen, how a driver absent-mindedly switches
on a car radio etc.
Regina Ode (2011) on her part observes:
It is common to see girls dress in trousers which are so tight fitting that
it becomes difficult to wear pants in them and so you can actually deduce that
the cloth is stretched on bare skin. We see what girls call ‘belly button’; a kind
of half-length blouse that exposes about half of their lower stomach. The
trousers are called ‘low waist’ and the waist-line of the trousers are so low
such that the upper part of the bottom is exposed as they sit on anything.
This mode of dressing is again what you see on Nollywood stars when
you tune to appropriate channels or when you rent Nollywood films to watch.
Ode observes and laments that our campus today is the breeding ground for
this form of dressing. That it is no wonder that some universities have come
up with dress codes for their students so that some lecturers and other students
will not be subjected to the harassment presently going on in our campuses.
Rodney Ciboh (2003) has seen this media invasion on the African culture and
equally observes that the most visible area of dominance is the influence of
the West, mainly Anglo-American, in global spreading of popular culture such
as art and entertainment.
This is a clear testimony on how the media influences millions of
people at various places in various times. Education is therefore the basic and
primary objective of the media. The media thus plays a fundamental role in
the society. Most often it starts with development which starts first with the
individual then extends to the entire society.
Amuche Madu (2002) agrees with this transcendent development as he
affirms:
The individual development includes imparting knowledge through the
various activities and programmes that obtain on our screens and radio sets.
Nigerians like any other nationals, see celebrities especially film stars as
models. This fantasy has affected the youths more than other categories of
people. They try earnestly to dress like them, speak and act like them, copy
other cherished mannerisms and many other things done by their idolized
models.
It is a known fact that Nollywood houses different calibers of stock
actors and actresses with different modes of dressing and other ways of life.
The Nigerian audience therefore has a wide and rich variety to choose from.
The danger, according to Amuche (2002) is that:
Since the broadcast media are Sine-qua –non in imparting knowledge, the
learner may tend to absorb everything he/she listens to (watches) on television
or on radio sets irrespective of whether such expression by the broadcasters
(actors) are correct or not… (Emphasis mine).
Nollywood has impacted on the lives of Nigerian youths more than any
other category of Nigerians. The flamboyant lifestyle, exhibition of exotic cars
in films, edifices as their residences, beautiful women, handsome young men
who are washed by good make-up artists before coming on set has
magnanimously created a desiring effect on the minds of the Nigerian youths.
It is therefore not uncommon to hear hairstyles of celebrities copied by a
Nigerian girl just because a celebrity, say Omotola, Ini Edo or Mercy Johnson
wore it in a movie. In the same order, footwear or jeans worn by Jim Iyke or
Desmond Elliot is highly desired by the boys.
It is inarguably very healthy to emulate celebrities as models but
definitely not when these models are drivers of vehicles of moral profligacy
and social debauchery. Nowadays, ladies go to an extent of naming dress
styles after the celebrities that wear them. They are so fascinated that they
forget that what they see actresses wear are purely costumes and not out-ofset dress codes.
Although the Nigerian video censors Board was invigorated to enable it cut
the excesses of some movie producers. According to Kayode Animasaun
(2005), such movies as “Glamour Girls”, Omo Empire, Outkast are said to be
morally debasing in value construction. They are perceived as likely to
promote corruption, moral bankruptcy and other anti-social behavior among
Nigerians.
He quoted Eyetsemin as warning that where such movies are left
uncensored, they could create environmental moral health problems for the
citizens and the government. Akaaer (2002) observes that there exists, a
symbiotic relationship between society and the movie. According to her the
movie is a diagram of societal occurrences which removes a part of life from
a big whole and portrays it on a smaller scale in socio-political, economic,
religious and cultural agenda.
Akaaer seems to be speaking from an idealistic perspective. It is true that
literature and film reflect the actions of the society, but this reflection should
be in fairness to both (society and art). It is very awkward that instead of
Nollywood to reflect the dress code of the society, the society is copying its
bizarre indecency through dressing. How then can we test the philosophy of
the arts reflecting the society? Or do we conclude with all fairness that what
Nollywood wears is as a result of what it sees the society war? Didactically,
can we say Nollywood dresses indecently in order to correct an anomaly? If
correction is the target, then how it is pursued in movies is left to be seen by
Nigerians.
The point pursued here is that dressing in Nollywood has in many cases
been abused in the bid to conform to civilized standards yet we know that an
actor (ess) is most often seen before he/she is heard. Generally, consumes are
supposed to establish the character in relation to the societal dictates. Can this
be said of many dress habits in Nollywood today?
We have watched Nollywood movies where actors (actresses are most
guilty of this) appear in such skimpy clothes even when they are playing such
roles as mothers or big executives. It appears like producers of these films
have been unable to differentiate between sexy portrayals of a character from
a befitting but decent portrayal of a character. A few examples from movies
like Juliet Must Die, Wasted Years, Angels, The President’s Daughter,
Violated, Mean Girls, Suicide Mission, etc. You will find actresses looking
like pornographic advertisers. Why would a mother who has children between
the ages of 10 and 12 and whose age is put at between 30 – 40 years appear in
skirts half way between her knees and upper thighs as seen in Juliet? To make
it worse, the upper part of her body is not well covered (Wade, 2012).
History has attested to the fact that fashion is culturally and
environmentally conditioned, but at the same time equally adoptable. It is
transported from one environment to another and is enforced by human interrelatedness. According to Shishima (2008), it is difficult to trace the origin of
fashion to any specific place or date since the dating from our sources are
contradictory. He explains:
Indications are that in Egypt, for instance, locally produced see-through white
linen fabric was fashionable as far back as the latter centuries BC. Because
this fabric was hard to dye, fashion designers usually pleated it to give it a
trendy, drape and silhouette. It was a fashion that lasted for a long time. By
the first century AD other fashionable materials also appeared. An expensive
silk material was developed and became the entire vogue in India and China.
Dyed wool was in vogue in Tyre, an equally expensive material from which
wealthy Roman women got their Stolar.
Shishima again traced the origin of Kente cloths of the Asante people
of Ghana to West Africa Kingdoms that flourished between 500 AD and 1600
AD. Also that weaving in Africa generally can be traced much earlier based
on the archeological findings in ancient Meroe Empire, which flourished
between 500 BC and 300 AD, include weaving instruments such as spindle
whores and loom (Shishima 2008).
The Tiv anger is a cloth worn by the Tiv people of central Nigeria. It is
woven in a variety of styles to be used on different occasions. In whichever
way it is used one fact is outstanding; it is used not only for its beauty, but also
for its symbolic significance. The Tiv people wear it for its traditional value.
The continuous creation of traditional styles that accompanies the “anger”
promotes the value of the Tiv tradition. The prestige-making regalia the Tiv
ancestors created is preserved for newer generations.
It is shown from the above that clothing is a representation of one’s
identity, culture and heritage. However with Nollywood worldview, the
emphasis has shifted to an identification of one’s social class and definition
of one’s personal worth.
In earlier times fashion was almost an exclusive preserve of the nobility and
royalty, but became a thing for common people only with time and social
changes.
A renowned designer Donnatella Varsace is quoted as often saying “I want to
make cloths for the woman who wants to dance all night”. These designs have
penetrated Africa and have enveloped the hitherto decent glamour of African
fashion.
The university campus has become the centre of these awkward dresses
and Nollywood has consistently projected and embraced the ugly practice of
injecting it in our youths who are principally university students.
Commenting on the high level indecent dressing in Nollywood, Regina Ode
(2004) faults the producers. She says:
The whole issue seems to be a mental carryover of western films. The craze
is to make films which seemingly naïve producers think the people want to
see.
This blame also extends to the marketers of Nigeria Home Videos which she
says, appear to be the sole determinants of what appears in Nigerian films.
This also is corroborated by Okafor (2000) that with little or no knowledge of
the film genre, marketers dictated terms to producers on choices of actors,
locations, directors and even costumes.
2.3
Nollywood and the University Students
It is most disheartening to discern the truth that film has a lot of
influence on the human mind. Tobrise (1998) while commenting on the
potency of film in character molding says “film can actually mold a person’s
life as people tend to be influenced by what they see in films that appeal to
them”.
Most producers of Nigerian films conceptualize the film industry as a
glamorization outfit and fail to realize that they owe the society some amount
of fair representation. Afolabi agrees to this when he says “film is an
ambassador or any given society… an international image maker. Hyginus
and Yakubu (1992) add:
As a decisive medium for the articulation of mass-consciousness and
outlook, it should be perceived as playing the dual role of vital instrument of
national cohesion and international image building.
To be absolutely fair, the Nigerian movie industry has done a lot for
Nigerians and Africans in general. The industry has entertained, educated and
informed societies in different ways. Many films treat topics that trigger
development in both urban and rural areas. Themes of cultism, war, religious
crises, etc have been reflected in Nigerian movies and resolved in such a way
as to discourage the society from these abominable acts.
Nevertheless Nollywood has created an impression that has really affected the
society negatively. The non-verbal elements in Hollywood films are highly
suggestive as they are contagious to people who watch them.
A visit to most university campuses in Nigeria shows a re-play of a
Nollywood movie one can be 100% sure of having watched the same scenario
in a home video. One will find almost 20 Omotolas and Ini-Edos strolling for
lectures. Either that or “actresses” brandishing their Blackberry phones or
worse still, “pingin” during lectures. Every student (notably females) strives
to own a Blackberry phone (that is what adorns Nollywood movies now). As
a matter of fact, there is a film titled Blackberry Girls where a similar scenario
is reflected (Wade, 2012).
Most worrisome is the issue of indecent dressing on campuses, which
this paper seriously indicts the Nollywood industry. As earlier mentioned,
instead of the industry trying to mirror the society, the society is mirroring it.
The female students try to copy from The-Know-alls and do not see or even
suspect that anything evil can come from supermodels. The innocent campus
girl thinks it is just another way of attaining sophistication. This, she calls
sophistication because it is not ridiculed anywhere in the film to create a better
message that would depict the fact that indecent dressing is really awful and
foolish. Rather, it is heralded and embraced, and since it is not despised in the
course of the film, it is accepted by the viewer. The truth is this depiction is
encouraging our students and children to walk about naked. As a point of
reference, there are provoking dresses and dress styles named after celebrities
because they adorn the screen in them. As a matter of reference, there is a
dress known as Shakira, which is named after a female pop singer (Wade,
2012).
A university in Cameroon has tightened the dress the dress code on
campus to curb sexual violence. The university is called BUEA. The Director
of Students’ Affairs, Ludwig Metuge, say that the campus authorities have
been sending students home in the past year for behavior he calls alarming.
He says students are wearing inappropriate clothing such as lingerie, to
classes. According to him there are some sexy dresses that a woman would
wear indoor to entice the husband or partner, such indoor dresses when worn
outdoor into the university becomes abnormal, “and this is what some students
of the University of BUEA are doing”.
The University of BUEA has had a dress code since its inception,
leading many to nickname it Government High School, Buea. It is also
reported that in recent years the university relaxed the campus dress check.
But with the emergence of new fashion trends (no thanks to the Nigeria film
industry and globalization), the university administration decided last year to
tightened enforcement of the dress code (Oberiri, 2016).
The need to restore morality in Nigerian universities has led to the
imposition of a model of dressing or the banning of indecent dressing among
female students. The University of Abuja which is in the nation’s capital,
Abuja, had at one time ruled that no student should wear tight-fitting trousers
and shorts except for games. The authorities ruled that any dress worn must
cover intimate parts of the body and must not expose the breast, stomach,
navel and bare chest.
Ebonyi State University in Eastern Nigeria had banned students from
wearing trousers, miniskirts and transparent dresses to lectures and
departmental functions. This campaign was also carried to the University of
Lagos where the ban of indecent dresses was also placed. The most drastic of
these campaigns came from Zamfara State of Northern Nigeria where the
government in January 2002 reportedly made about 34, 342 turbans and hijabs
to be worn by both Christians and Muslims students (Oberiri, 2016).
As a matter of concern, indecent dress has far gone beyond the
psychedelic auspices of the all-knowing- campus students. In fact, lawmakers
also have complained about the declining dress code in the House; leading to
a threat by the Clerk of the House to impose sanction on female staff who
wear provocative dresses to work. The clerk had advertized that formal
Western or traditional attire be copied, that the current mode of dressing runs
contrary to all treasured norms of dignity (Oberiri, 2016).
It should be noted that it is not the first time that a dress code is being
imposed on a community. The late Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin and the late
Malawian autocrat Kamuzu Banda, imposed strict dress code for women.
Swaziland too has imposed similar code.
In spite of the clamour for a better dressed society, some people still do
not see or rather, have refused to see the threat posed by indecent clothes.
These critics see no reason harassing students on account of what they wear.
They claim the university is a liberal institution and therefore authorities
should not make it illiberal. The argument put forward by Ebenezer,Professor
Lamikanra and the Punch is reported by Dr. Aberanwi (May 5th, 1998: 23)
that:
The university is a liberal institution. I would not, of course want ,if I
were a lady, to be caught dead in some of the clothes that some young ladies
on campus wear; but I will give anything to defend their right to wear
whatever pleases them as long as it covers the most private parts of their
bodies – which the laws of the land have already prescribed. There is
absolutely no need for greater measures beyond the social sanctions, which
include the more – than – ordinary stares that any lady who bears more than
is usual, attracts everywhere she goes. To say this tempts people to commit
rape is to make not just a chauvinistic but also, a most criminal argument
(Wade, 2012).
The duo went ahead to pose this question:
So if a young man bares his ample biceps----something that is
considered sexy by women all over the world, ladies should also rush to rape
him? If the argument is reversed, we will see that it is not only ridiculous but
indeed, self- respecting people should not be heard repeating them.
Looking at the quotations above, there are lots of logical inefficiencies in the
arguments. Basically, Ebenezer started by dissociating himself from the act by
saying that as a lady he would not want to be caught dead in some of the
clothes that some of the young ladies wear on campus. He added weakly that
he will give anything to defend their right to wear whatever pleases them. The
question therefore, is why does he not want to wear what the young girls wear
(even if he were a lady)? The answer probably is because he knows and
sincerely understands the language behind such dressing. He knows that the
African tradition rejects that with absolute disdain. Most importantly he is
wise to know that no religion in Africa condones with indecent dressing.
Again why would he want to defend the right of ladies who dress indecently?
Probably he just wants to make himself relevant by contributing to the
literature of indecent dressing (even though in opposition to decency).
Whether critics like Ebenezer have not heard that indecent exposure
(which is a twin-brother to indecent dressing) is a crme in developed nations
remains to be found out. Whether he had not heard that the pop star, Michael
Jackson was apprehended for an alleged indecent exposure also needs to be
seriously checked.
Sexual harassment and its constitutes, have spread tentacles to cover
indecent dressing and is regarded as a serious harassment to onlookers. It is
therefore absolutely wrong for Ebenezer to say there is nothing to it more than
ordinary stares ladies get everywhere they go.
2.4 The Social and Moral Implications
What some people see and regard as “ordinary stare” goes beyond the
eye-balling, mouth-twisting and the cat-calls onlookers make when they see
people who dress indecently. The most important thing that cannot be whisked
away is the impression created on the minds of the onlookers. That
impression, having been created inwardly, is expressed outwardly as
concretized physical actions. In essence, the detestable and disgusting
comments people make when they see indecent dresses are just products of
the impressions created on the minds of the general public.
Therefore, what critics like Ebenezer see as insignificant stare actually
is a very big and pregnant stare. When some people look at an act or interpret
an act to be disgusting, most often they spit with defiance with quick
succession of curses and swearing. Those actions cannot be regarded as
ordinary because they are outward manifestations of what the mind has
conceived and interpreted and which literary is supposed to mean that
particular thing is bad.
When people dress indecently, they give an impression that they are not
decent people. Ordinarily, no one wants to be regarded as being indecent.
Indecency is a negative word and no one wants to be identified with
negativism. The reason people do not want to be regarded indecent is because
of the fact the public will always try to avoid indecency and irresponsible
people. The moment the society avoids you; there is a threat to lose your social
relevance. Therefore, the sociological consequences will always haunt people
who dress indecently everywhere they go.
The moral implication is as disturbing as the sociological. The
university degree is awarded to only deserving students who have supposedly
passed both the learning and the moral tests in the course of study. The
university grooms young men and women in academics and in character
molding. That is the reason indecent dressing is abhorred by the university
authorities. Also the reason Nollywood is cautioned in this paper to stop
further promotion of indecent dressing but to rather use its widespread
medium as a therapeutic vehicle to curb this menace on our university
campuses.
Religiously too, no religion advocates immorality of indecent dressing.
This is a warning sign to Nollywood that religious leaders may be forced to
restrict their faithful from patronizing the industry and this may not promote
the growth of the medium.
2.5
Way Forward
This paper has faulted the decaying morals in the area of dress code of
students on university campuses and has blamed it on Nollywood. It portends
that Nollywood owes the society a duty of not only entertaining but educating
and informing the people by promoting the accepted codes of behavior as
propagated by the laws of the land. This they can do by ridiculing the bizarre
and unwanted cultures that continually infiltrates the land in the movies. It is
true that arts mirror the society with the intent of initiating change. (When the
mirror reflects a bad image the society prefers clean images so it tries to shun
from it), but when the society begins to mirror the arts, how and where will
change come? If the society is changing the arts, then the arts have failed in
one of their objectives.
Nollywood also owes the university a duty of bringing therapy to the
ailment of sexual harassment witnessed on campus. This it can do by simply
making movies that blame sexual harassment on provocative and indecent
dresses, after all one of the duties of the arts is to educate and enforce
correction through entertainment.
Executives of Nollywood should also check to ensure that film scripts
and costume charts are screened before films are shot. They should ensure that
costumes conform to accepted standards before they are allowed to be used.
Parents can also help the university community to keep close checks on their
children’s wardrobes and ensure they do not wear clothes that are indecent.
They can also censor films that are brought home and channels that their
children tune to.
2.6 Theoretical Review
The theories relevant to this study are cultivation theory, social
cognitive theory, selective exposure, selection attention and retention theory.
Cultivation theory was proposed by Gerbner and his associates in 1976
(Asemah, 2011). The Cultivation theory (sometimes referred to as the
cultivation analysis) was used to study whether and how watching television
may affect viewers’ ideas of what everyday world is like. Cultivation theorists
argue that television (movies) have long term Influences which are small,
gradual, indirect but cumulative and significant (Baran, 2009). This theory
argues that the mass media cultivate attitudes and values which are already
present in a culture: the media maintain and propagate these values amongst
members of a culture, thus, binding it together. Cultivation research looks at
the mass media as a socializing agent and investigates whether movie viewers
come to believe the movie version of reality the more they watch it. The
research contends that movie has small but significant Influence on the
attitude, beliefs and judgment of viewers concerning the social world. This
theory focuses on “heavy viewers”. People who watch a lot of movie are likely
to be more affected by the ways in which the world is formed by the media
than are individuals who watch less, especially regarding topics of which the
viewer has little firsthand experience.
From the angle of the social cognitive theory it maintains that that
people learn through observation especially through television when applied
to mass media. The conceptual roots for social cognitive theory came from
Edwin B Holt and Harold Chapman Brown in 1931. Social cognitive theory
argues that people model (copy) the behaviour they see and this occurs in two
ways: through imitation and identification. Baran, (2009) sees it as imitationthe direct replication of an observed behaviour. Mass communication theorists
who study television impact find value in the idea of identification. Every one
admits that people can imitate what they see on television, but not all. Social
cognitive theorists demonstrated that imitation and identification are products
of three processes: observational learning, inhibitory influences and
disinhibitory influences (Baran, 2009). By observational learning, social
cognitive theorists posit that observers can acquire (learn) new behaviours
simply by seeing those behaviours performed. Inhibitory Influences entail
seeing a model, a movie character for example punished for a behavior,
reduces the likelihood that the observer will perform that behaviour. In the
media we see good Samaritans sued for trying to help someone, and it reduce
our willingness to help, in similar situations that behaviour is inhibit by what
we have seen (Baran, 2009). Disinhibitory, seeing a model rewarded for
inhibited or threatening behaviour, increase the likelihood that the observer
will perform that behaviour. This is the complain, against the glorification of
crime and drug in movies for instance (Baran, 2009).
2.7 Empirical studies
Saodah and Mohd carried out a study on the impact of television(TV)
and magazine on fashion and dressing of Malaysian women of various ages is
called for. The objectives of the study are to find out (1) the level of TV and
magazine use among Malaysian urban women of various age groups, (2) the
level of TV and magazine influence on urban Malaysian women of various
age groups, (3) the extent of TV and magazine influence on urban Malaysian
women’s fashion and dressing, and (4) the relationship between urban
Malaysian women’s fashion and dressing and the use and influence of TV and
magazine of various age groups various age groups.
Eziechi (2010) carried out a study to probes the impact which Tv has
on the cultural values of the Nigeria youths. It specifically tackles the impact
of Tv programes on Nigeria University students. The research posits that the
current trends in cultural behaviour of youths in Nigeria as observed among
Caritas student Enugu is significantly associated with their perception of
western culture and exposure to western Tv programmes. The assumption that
foreign media content has direct powerful effects is shared by optimistic
modernization theory. Lerner (1962) Rogers and Schramm (1964) and the
later critical perspective of cultural and media imperialism. McPhail (1981),
(1984) Gerbuer (1977). The research applies the theory of acculturation along
with the culturation hypothesis.
Okeoma (2012) carried out a similar study, on the influence of Home
Movies on the Dressing Patterns of Students of Tertiary Institutions in Abia
state, notes that home movies mediate in the culture of students of tertiary
institutions in Abia state especially as it relates to their dressing patterns.
Research has shown that, Movies, like books, are important medium of
cultural transmission and socialization. Thus, the concern on media Influence
has led to the development of different communication theories in an attempt
to explain the relationship between communication messages and their
Influence on the respondent. The thrust of this work was therefore, to examine
the Influence that home movies have on the dressing patterns of students of
tertiary institutions in Abia state. The survey research method was adopted,
with a sample size of 400. The questionnaire was the research instrument for
the collection of data. Findings showed that home movies celebrate African
values in their dress patterns. This is in contrast with the obvious practice in
Western and foreign movies where the contemporary trend is in the swap of
roles between the male and the female gender as manifested in the swap of
dress culture. This shows that home movies have influence on the pattern of
dressing of students of tertiary institutions.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design
The study adopted the survey method. This method is relevant because
the study involves the collection of information regarding the opinion of
students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic on the subject matter.
3.2
Population of the study
The population of this study comprised of the students of Akwa Ibom
State polytechnic 2021/2022 academic session, which was estimated at
12,000.
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique
A cluster sampling procedure was adopted to draw 250 sample for the
study. This was done by clustering the students into five schools
The schools are represented in the table below:
TABLE 1: Cluster Sampling of Respondents
S/N
Schools
1
School
Communication
Art
School
of
Engineering
School
of
Environmental
School of Applied
Sciences
School
of
Business
2
No
respondents
Population
of 50
Total
3.4
of Percentage
20%
50
20%
50
20%
50
20%
50
20%
250
100%
Instrument of Data Collection
Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary
source was self developed questionnaire form distributed to the respondents.
The questionnaire was in two parts. The first part (A) was the personal data
of the respondents, while the remaining part dealt with responses of the
respondent to the subject matter.
The secondary source was the review of related literature from the school
library and other sources which include publications and textbooks.
Some questions were found which were vital to the subject matter in order to
achieve the objectives of this study and they were all closed ended. To
facilitate data collection, the questionnaire was administered directly to the
respondents by the researcher and efforts were made to instantly collect as
much completed questionnaire copies as possible, however, the remaining
were collected three days later. The 250 questionnaires issued were all duly
completed and returned,
3.5
Validity and Reliability of Instrument
To ensure validity of the instrument, the draft of the questionnaire used
was submitted to the project supervisor for comments and corrections.
The reliability of the questionnaire was achieved through test/pre test of
questions on 10 people who were not part of the study. It was administered
twice within one week. The result of the two pilot studies showed that the
instrument was reliable.
3.6
Method of Data Analysis
The data collected from the filed were presented in a tabular form and
later analyzed using descriptive statistic involving the use of percentages and
frequency tables.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This chapter deals with data analysis and discussion of findings
4.1 Data Presentation/Analysis
Table 1: Age Distribution of respondents
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
16-20
84
33.6
21-25
120
48
26-30
30
12
31 and above
16
6.4
Total
250
100
Source: Field Survey, 2022
Table 1 above shows that 84 respondents representing 33.6% were within the
age range of 16-20 yrs, 120 respondents representing 48% were within the age
range of 21-25yrs, 30 respondents representing 12% were within the age range
of 26-30 yrs while 16 respondents representing 6.4% were 31 yrs and above.
Table 2: Gender Distribution of respondents
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
Male
150
60
Female
100
37
Total
250
100
Source: Field Survey, 2022
Table 2 above shows that 150 respondents representing 60% were male while
100 respondents representing 40% were female.
Table 3: Educational Level
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
ND 1
60
24
ND 2
120
48
HND 1
50
20
HND 2
20
8
Total
250
100
Source: Field Survey 2022
Table 3 above shows that 60 respondents representing 24% were in ND 1, 120
respondents representing 48% were in ND 2, 50 respondents representing
20% were in HND 1 while 20 respondents presenting 8% were in HND 2
Table 4: What is the perception of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students of
dress patterns in Nollywood movies?
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
Decent
90
36
Indecent
160
64
Total
200
100
Source: Field Survey 2022
From table 4 above, 90 respondents representing 36% said that the dressing
pattern in Nollywood movies is decent while 160 respondents representing
64% agreed that the Nollywood dressing pattern is indecent.
Table 5: Does Nollywood movie influence the dressing pattern of students in
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic.
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
Yes
180
72
No
70
28
Total
250
100
Source: Field Survey, 2022
From table 5 above 180 respondents representing 72% agreed that Nollywood
movies influence the dressing pattern of students in Akwa Ibom State
Polytechnic while 70 respondents representing 28% disagreed.
Table 6: How can the students be dissuaded from indecent dressing?
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
Bill board Display
20
8
Punishing of defaulters 52
20.8
Regular
7.2
Orientation 18
through seminars
All of the above
160
64
Total
250
100
Source: Field Survey, 2022
The table 6 above shows that 20 respondents representing 8% said putting up
billboard display is the strategy to dissuade students from indecent dressing,
52 respondents representing 20.8% said punishing of defaulters, 18
respondents representing 7.2% said regular orientation through seminars and
160 respondents representing 64% agreed on all of the above.
Table 7: What is the effect of indecent dressing on the society?
Variable
Respondent
Percentage (%)
Breeds crime
50
20
Reduce the social status 20
8
of the society
Encourages
10
4
All of the above
170
68
Total
250
100
waywardness
among
the youth
Source: Field Survey, 2022
From table 7 above, 50 respondents representing 20% said that indecent
dressing breeds crimes in the society, 20 respondents representing 8% said
that indecent dressing reduce the social status of the society, 10 respondents
representing 4% said it encourages waywardness among the youth while 170
respondents representing 68% agreed on all of the above.
4.2
Discussion of Findings
Discussion of findings for the study was done based on research questions
earlier formulated.
4.2.1 Research Question One
What is the perception of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students of dress
pattern in Nollywood movies.
The answer was answered in table 4 as a majority of 160 respondents
representing 64% agreed that the Nollywood dressing pattern is indecent.
This therefore implies that Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students perceive
Nollywood dressing pattern as indecent.
This is in accordance with the study of (Oberiri, 2016) who noted that most
of the respondents do not agree that home movies make them proud of African
culture because most of the dressing portrayed are full of indecency which is
eroding the cultural values as well as brainwashing the youths into thinking
that it is the best thing to do.
4.2.2 Research Question Two
Does Nollywood movie influence the dressing pattern of students of Akwa
Ibom State Polytechnic?
This question was better answered in table 5. Table 5 revealed that 180
respondents representing 72% agreed that Nollywood movies influence the
dressing pattern of students in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic.
This implies that Nollywood movies influence the dressing pattern of students
in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic.
This is in accordance with the opinion of Tobrise (1998) while commenting
on the potency of film in character molding says “film can actually mold a
person’s life as people tend to be influenced by what they see in films that
appeal to them”.
4.2.3 Research Question Three
How can the students be dissuaded from indecent dressing?
The question is best answered in table 6. Table 6 revealed 160 respondents
representing 64% agreed bill board display, punishing of defaulters, regular
orientation through seminars are the strategies to dissuade students from
indecent dressing.
This therefore implies that use of billboard display, punishing of defaulters,
keeping regular orientation through seminars are the strategies to dissuade
students from indecent dressing.
This is in line with the opinion Wade (2012) who opined that the university
grooms young men and women in academics and in character molding. That
is the reason indecent dressing is abhorred by the university authorities.
4.2.4 Research Question Four
What is the effect of indecent dressing on the society?
Table 7 best answers the question. Table 7 revealed that 170 respondents
representing 68% agreed that indecent dressing breeds crime, reduce the
social status of the society and encourages waywardness among the youth
This findings implies that the effect of indecent dressing in the society
includes; breeding crimes, reduce the social status on the society and
encourages waywardness among the youth.
This findings is in line with the opinion of Regina Ode (2011:171) who opine
that it is common to see girls dress in trousers which are so tight fitting that it
becomes difficult to wear pants in them and so you can actually deduce that
the cloth is stretched on bare skin.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Summary
This section focus on giving a brief summary of the findings derived from the
analysis of data obtained by the researcher during field study.
The following were the findings obtained in the study.
i.
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic students perceive Nollywood dressing
pattern as indecent.
ii. Nollywood movies influence the dressing pattern of students in Akwa
Ibom State Polytechnic.
iii. The use of billboard display, punishing of defaulters, keeping regular
orientation through seminars are the strategies to dissuade students
from indecent dressing.
iv. The effect of indecent dressing in the society includes; breeding crimes,
reduce the social status on the society and encourages waywardness
among the youth.
5.2
Conclusion
This study has established that, dress patterns in home movies have influence
on the dress style of students in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic. But this
Influence is negative. This is manifested in the dressing pattern and styles
these students adopt which is very embarrassing. Most of the students expose
themselves to the home movie medium and even a higher percentage do so at
regular basis and are more prone to noticing the dress patterns on these home
movies. These dressing pattern has bad effect on the society in general which
suggest that there is need for proper orientation in other for schools to be able
to give out youths who are truly learned in knowledge and character.
5.3
Recommendations
Based on the findings of this study, the following are recommended
A proactive media approach to issues containing cultural imperialism should
be adopted by the media.
The home movie industry should use their medium to promote the very rich
cultural values of Nigeria and African.
Parents should endeavor give proper orientation to their children on regular
basis as they returned home for breaks or holidays.
The School should not be weary in sounding the need for decent dressing
through all the available platform so to improve the social status our society
and reclaim its pride.