Nollywood movies can be commended for its relatable stories that cross from religion to marriage to politics to social issues and vices, but somehow it doesn’t tell many stories that require much acting from the young Nigerian. When I say young Nigerian I mean people the ages of nine to twenty-five.
Rare is the case that the protagonist in a Nollywood film is acted by a young person. Most movies are based on adults, recycling the actors that we have known since we were young and the ones that have emerged in more recent years.
There is so much untapped potential that Nollywood is neglecting, not to mention the wide sea of stories that these young actors could tell that would relate to the Nigerian youth who barely watch Nollywood productions.
I would love to walk into a cinema outlet and see the trailer for a movie with a storyline I can relate to right now staring an actor around my age. It’s easy to pack cinema halls with adults because they can relate on a personal level to the movies being shown and see themselves in the actors taking on the roles. Yes, they may not be presently going through the same things as the protagonists, but they’ve either gone through it before or could go through it in the near future.
To neglect the experiences of younger people when creating stories trivializes the lives they live. Stories of a young child overcoming peer pressure or how divorce affects the children of the splitting couple. The story of a young person deciding what path to choose or a person defying their parents to follow their passion. These stories should be told using actors that are actually the age of the character, as it would pull an appeal to people in that age group thus increasing the audience of devoted watchers of Nollywood movies.
Also, making stories that younger people can act will help them maximize their talents. There are young people with amazing acting capabilities they may never use because there are no opportunities for them to act and it would be a complete tragedy if that talent wastes.
It is true that the stories that Nollywood puts out are entertaining and showcase the issues that are faced by many Nigerians, but they are not inclusive of the younger Nigerians. Why should the younger Nigerian actors have to manage supporting roles when their counterparts in Hollywood are getting protagonist roles? Considering the fact that there are stories these younger actors can tell and tell brilliantly, the opportunity should be awarded to them.
There are new motives that need to be explored and cinema is a great way of telling stories that matter to bridge the generational gap that’s created two spectrums of culture and understanding, through the lens, we can find a subtle way to create a common ground that will lovely viewing for all to share. Definitely, the cinematic culture is becoming more inclusive as it evolves we only want more context in its ongoing evolution.
Written by Onyemaruchechi Kalu
