ABSTRACT
The issue of role and portrayal of women in media and videos has been an issue and constantly advocated for change by feminist film theorist. The stereotype of women by the kind of role they play and how they are portrayed tends to be negative and demeaning, this problem is global, from Hollywood, to Bollywood, Nollywood and Kannywood. The situation in Nollywood is characterized by gender disparity in the portrayal of women. The study employed the Qualitative survey research design. Design is generally based on a social constructivism perspective. Which may not be align to set statistical calculations, as well as the use of interviews, focus group discussions, observation or qualitative content analysis. The sample of the study is 3 movies popularly selected based on informal opinion research on popularly selected based on informal opinion research on population. The study sampled 12 persons who had recently watched the select videos. They are composed of teenager, Muslim women and Christian women. Since the data are qualitative, the study used the thematic narrative approach to analyse data. The study finds that the general agreement on the portrayal of Muslim women in Hausa movies is that of negativity and bad example, domestication and subjection. The conclusion is that the portrayals of Muslim women in Hausa movies are not encouraging and inspiring to women, this implies that there is need for changes in the portrayals and role-played by women in Hausa movies.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study
The issue of role and portrayal of women in media and videos has been an issue and constantly advocated for change by feminist film theorist. The stereotype of women by the kind of role they play and how they are portrayed tends to be negative and demeaning, this problem is global, from Hollywood, to Bollywood, Nollywood and Kannywood. The situation in Nollywood is characterized by gender disparity in the portrayal of women. From inception Nigeria movies have always portrayed the woman as sex objects, weaker vessels, consultant of witch doctors so as to lure men, etc. In some movies women are depicted as derailed women who are ambitious but are sided by romantic love, desperate to acquire mundane material things.
The phenomenon has become obvious in Kannywood where films are designed and created based on Islamic tenet but one can notice serious stereotypes of the women in the role they play and the way they are portrayed.
The gender disparity in Kannywood through the roles women play and the way they are portrayed informed this study. The study seeks to explore the Role definition and portrayal of women in selected Hausa movies so as to understand the situation through the eye of women of some selected Kannywood movies as case study.
Statement of the Problem
Over the years as a multimedia student with interest in media representation I observed the male folk are given more attention in movies especially Kannywood movies which is a reflection of the larger problem in Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood. I observe Muslim women are underreported in Nigerian media; with most portrayals being
negative which does not reflect the reality on the street. The aim of the study is to find out what roles, are prescribed for Muslim women in media and to ascertain if such roles actually meet with the tenets of Islam concerning women.
Objectives of the Study
- To find out the roles prescribed for Muslim women in Hausa films
- To determine how Muslim women are portrayed in the select Hausa movies.
- To ascertain if there are similarities between prescribed roles and portrayal of Muslim women in the select Hausa films?
Research Questions
- What roles are prescribed for Muslim women in `Nigerian `Hausa movies?
- How are Muslim women portrayed in the select movies?
- Are there similarities btw the prescribed roles and how they are portrayed in the select movies?
Scope of the Study
The study encompassed role definition and portrayal of women in selected Hausa movies, specifically, the study focus on three Hausa movies:
| Baruniya | Nazifi Asnanic | Ado Bappah | 2016 |
| Uwar gulma | Usman Mu,azu | Shiek Isa Alolo | 2016 |
| Hakin Aure | Nazifi Asnanic | Falalu Dorayi | 2015 |
Using 12 persons who had recently watched the select videos to make inferences on the role definition and portrayal of women in Hausa movies.
