SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: T&fs

CONTRIBUTORS:

Okaigwe, M. N;
Utoh-Ezeajugh;
Obidiegwu, C.C;

ABSTRACT:

This dissertation has examined the contributions of Igbo cultural motifs to the evolution and development of Nollywood costumes. The evolution and development of Nollywood costumes was traced from the emergence of Nollywood films. The researcher adopted qualitative research method, which involves content analyses and observation research approaches. Using ethnographic research method, literary works relevant to the research problem have been analyzed. The research had sought the opinions of expects in traditional Igbo aesthetics and symbols. Findings from this research reveal that Igbo dress culture appears to be at the pivot of the development of Nollywood costumes and has continued to play significant roles in costuming Nollywood characters. The emergence of costumes in Nollywood goes back into the 1990s, to the release of Living in Bondage, an Igbo language film produced by Kenneth Nnebue; an Igbo salesman. Henceforth, Igbo dress culture has been a great source of inspiration for Nollywood costume designers and has been used by them as a major form in developing Nollywood costumes. Although the major motivation behind the emergence of Nigerian film industry was purely economic, the film’s narratives and costumes seem to be archetypes of the pioneer filmmakers’ culture and traditions. Based on the critical analyses of eight films used in this research, the research has been able to establish that from the inception of Nollywood through the recent times, Igbo cultural motifs have been functioning effectively as the canvas upon which Nollywood characters are created. Therefore, Nollywood costumes can be said to be carriers of Igbo cultural motifs. It would thus be virtually impossible to recount an adequate history and development of Nollywood costume without mentioning the immense contributions of Igbo dress culture to the evolution of the industry’s costumes and frequently accentuate how these motifs have been used to create characters. This research recommends that Nollywood costume designers should focus more on the communicative essence of costumes and their effectiveness in preserving culture. Costume designers should also be given ample time to carry out an ethnographic research in order to employ motifs appropriately.