Disability Representation in Nollywood and Nigerian Culture

This book investigates disability representation in Nollywood, the second largest film industry in the world, and examines perceptions to such filmic representations as well as lived experiences of disabled people at the intersection of filmic representations and Nigerian cultures.

Drawing on original research underpinned by films and focus groups, the book explores how disability and disabled identities are represented, negotiated, and often overlooked within one of the world’s most influential film industries. From patterns and forms of disability representation to social implications, disability studies researchers have been concerned with understanding the potentials of films and other cultural media forms in making disabilities an integrable difference. However, scholarly attention in this field has paid little or no attention to Nollywood. By examining Nollywood disability films, this book explores the nuances contained in framing disabilities and identifies whether these films promote a positive disability identity or not. It illustrates how socio-cultural, religious, and economic forces shape disability representation in Nollywood and challenges readers to rethink dominant narratives and inauthentic representation. It makes a persuasive case for the crucial place of representational equity as a site of power, identity and recognition, and its potential for shaping disability rights and inclusion.

This book is of interest researchers and students in media studies, critical disability studies, film studies, and professionals in film and media industries.