Cultural hybridity and marginality in selected contemporary Yorùbá films

Abstract

Yorùbá films have developed over time owing to westernisation and technological advancements. Due to this development, contemporary Yorùbá films are easily accessible through the internet and social media. However, the cultural contents of these films remain questionable due to influences from the Western world. Studies have identified the portrayal of Yorùbá culture, history, and folklore in Yorùbá films with less emphasis on the way contemporary Yorùbá films have hybridised various cultures and possibly marginalised the Yorùbá culture as a result of westernisation and civilisation. Therefore, this study was aimed at analysing cases of cultural hybridity and marginality in selected contemporary Yoruba films. The qualitative research approach, using document analysis, was adopted in the study. Four purposively selected films (Jagunjagun, Anikulapo, Agesinkole, and Elesin-Oba) were analysed thematically and interpreted using the theories of Cultural Hybridity and Cultural Marginality. Findings revealed that the selected films portray the hybridisation of Yorùbá culture with other cultures, while marginalising the Yorùbá culture in many cases. The paper argued that the filmmakers’ quest for global acceptance and profit-making is responsible for this hybridisation and marginalisation. Therefore, it was concluded that the economy remains at the centre of film-making in Nigeria, irrespective of the cultural interest of both the film-makers and the audience.