Is Nollywood promoting the slapping culture? – Part 2

The weakening of home training and the breakdown of the family structure leads to increased disrespectful behaviour. A lack of education on respecting elders and emotional management causes children to display destructive behaviour.

Parents and educators must take deliberate action against the harmful effects of the media by teaching strong moral principles and demonstrating positive behaviour through role models. The educational process should teach children respectful conflict management while promoting open dialogue and empathetic behaviour.

A call for balance and reflection
Slapping in Nigerian society goes beyond behavioural issues to represent a deep-rooted cultural and generational emergency that needs immediate resolution. The situation represents a larger conflict between traditional values and contemporary principles, established authority and rebellious behaviour, and respect and entitlement issues. Our first step to solving this issue requires recognising its complex nature before we work together to establish equilibrium.

The cultural crossroads
Nigeria exists at a pivotal intersection where fast-moving modernisation forces conflict with entrenched traditional values. Globalisation and technological advancements provide access to new concepts and possibilities and create innovative ways to understand the world. While technological advancements have brought positive changes, they also created attitudes and behaviours that conflict with traditional cultural values. The practice of slapping elders represents how traditional Nigerian values are being challenged by modern influences.

Nollywood exists at the core of this cultural intersection. The industry shows potential to connect traditional values with modern perspectives but frequently opts for sensational content that favours dramatic elements over substantial themes. Nollywood does not bear full responsibility for the loss of respect but remains a powerful force influencing how young people perceive and behave.

The need for nuanced storytelling
Nollywood needs to adopt more detailed storytelling techniques to create a balanced representation. Filmmakers should move beyond slap scenes as quick fixes for conflict resolution and instead delve into the intricate dynamics of human relationships and the repercussions of impulsive behaviours. A movie might show a teenager striking an older person during a temper tantrum and then struggling with severed connections, public shame, and internal remorse. These stories serve as entertainment and educational tools that push audiences to examine their behaviour critically.

Nollywood provides a storytelling platform that honours elder wisdom through narratives which show the value of intergenerational discussions. Motion pictures that depict younger generations gaining knowledge from older ones, settling disputes through dialogue, or maintaining traditional values work as potent alternatives to present disrespectful trends.

The role of media literacy
There is an urgent demand for Nigerian youth to develop media literacy skills beyond their engagement with Nollywood productions. Young individuals watch films and social media content without critical analysis and accept messages without evaluating their truthfulness or potential effects. Education about media literacy within schools and community programmes provides youth with the capacity to assess and understand media messages with greater depth. Students must learn to differentiate fictional representations from real-world behaviour and understand the dangers of replicating screen behaviour.

A collective effort
All sectors of society must unite to restore balance through collective action. Parents must actively instruct their children about the importance of respect and self-control. School curricula must integrate cultural education programmes highlighting how traditional values remain relevant today. Religious and community leaders have the power to help by establishing programmes to foster understanding between generations and resolve conflicts.

Policymakers and regulatory bodies must collaborate with entertainment creators to motivate them to produce more responsible media material. The proposed approach includes establishing rules for how violence and conflict should be depicted while creating reward systems for movies that showcase beneficial social principles.

Conclusion
The rising practice of slapping in Nigerian society reflects underlying shifts and problems within the community. The practice sheds light on the clash between traditional values and modern influences, the diminishing respect for senior members of society, and media impacts on young people’s behaviours. Nollywood has reinforced the trend by depicting slapping as an acceptable dramatic response to conflict, but it holds the potential to reverse this pattern.

By adopting sophisticated storytelling techniques combined with media education and dialogue between generations, we can start tackling this problem’s fundamental causes. Nollywood must acknowledge its role as a cultural institution by ensuring its messages promote positive change through responsible storytelling. Parents, educators, and community leaders must unite to teach future generations respect, empathy and self-control.

Today’s slap goes beyond physical impact to serve as an urgent alert to everyone. This event demonstrates why we must protect our cultural past as we adjust to modern life’s demands.

The situation demands that we examine our choices and understand their societal consequences. The moment demands immediate action to establish a future based on respect and dignity for all.

The key resolution depends on our collective responsibility rather than assigning blame to individual factors. Our joint efforts will balance and fortify our cultural principles while establishing a community honouring every generation.

Even though the journey requires sustained effort, it leads to a Nigeria where respect becomes ingrained into daily life, making every step meaningful.

Concluded.

Dr Oluwadele is an Author, Chartered Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner and Public Policy Scholar based in Canada. He can be reached via: [email protected]