Challenges and Prospects of the Igala Movie Industry (Igawood) in the Quest for Global Relevance

Abstract

Beyond the more popular indigenous movie industries from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria; Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, the Nigerian Movie Industry has witnessed the upsurge and establishment of more indigenous regional and ethnic movie industries. This development is born partly, out of the desire of indigenous Nigerian ethnic groups to tell their own respective stories; an effort towards sustaining the diverse culture which together, make one Nigeria, and also promote respective cultures globally. Adopting a qualitative design, this article examines the prospects and challenges of the Indigenous movie industry of the Igala ethnic group in Nigeria: Igawood in the quest for global relevance. The article projects that Igawood is an efficient tool for cultural integration, propagation, and sustenance, firstly, among people of the Igala ethnicity spread across the globe and also among other tribes of the world with an interest in the Igala culture. Among other challenges, the paper points at finance, the quest to make a profit, the star actor syndrome, relatively poor presence on satellite TV Networks, and lack of requisite technical know-how as factors militating against Igawood. The paper identifies the need for re-orientation and adequate technical training for players in the industry to meet up with the standard and global best practices.