Nollywood and Career Women - Married But Living Single

Nollywood and Career Women - Married But Living Single

The promo for a new movie has started making the rounds and after watching the preview, I had to ask the question, is it so terrible for a woman to be ambitious in her career? Now, I know that career women everywhere face greater challenges in terms of work-life balance and probably the Nigerian career women is more of a new breed and this has made it even harder for her. However, I think our society has to begin to cut career women some slack, and actually start celebrating those who, though not perfect, are able to find a middle ground between work and family.

One of my problems with Nollywood is they're overly biased. And it galls me now that the so-called "New Nollywood" might not be much better. I don't know how many of you watch Nollywood, I do sometimes, and I can tell you that the preponderance of female roles are negative. From young prostitutes, to irresponsible mothers, to wicked mothers-in-Law, to old witches. Isn't art supposed to be a reflection of reality? New Nollywood may look good, but they have to stop this tradition of skewing the Nigerian reality if they intend to stay the course in standing out.

SYNOPSIS -Main Plot

Mike an entreprenuer is happily married to Kate who is the creative director of an advertising agency, she is so much engrossed with her carrer and winning the biggest brands for her company. Mike is diagnosed with cancer of the lungs in consequence of the smoking habit he had in his school days, he needs to go to India for surgery and the Doctor advised that his wife should take a leave and come with him to hasten the recuperating process, Kate agrees to go with her husband, but as they are about to travel, the biggest telecoms company in the middle east has just been licenced to operate in Nigeria, Kate's company stands the chance to win the bid for their adverts, and they will not be able to do the bidding without the creative director. Kate is torn in between travelling to help her husband recuperate and winning the biggest account ever for her company.

The extended story line goes as follows;

"Kate (Funke Akindele) works in an Ad agency with an overbearing boss played by Joke Silva. Kate is totally engrossed in her career at the expense of her family so much that she chose her career as against accompanying her husband Patrick (Joseph Benjamin) to India for surgery. Her neglect for the only child of the family is epitomized in the daughter’s love for only the father and even a stranger Titi (Kiki Omeli) who turned out to be her mother’s competitor at work and husband’s mistress." - KorrectNation.com



As you can see, the production looks great, and the actors too, seem to be doing a good job. However, if we say our movie industry has matured, it has to be more than superficial. There has to be a balance of stories. So, Nigerians like social consciousness stories that teach a moral, fine. Then teach not by showcasing mistakes, but by inspiring through role models. Let's start telling celebratory stories. I want to see a woman who is the protagonist in a Nollywood movie, not because she's a one-dimensional sinner or saint but who's a rounded woman, who with all her flaws, can still triumph at the end.