Nollywood Films and Substance Abuse Among Youths in Eket, Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

This study investigated the connection between Nollywood films and substance abuse among youths in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, to examine how substance abuse is portrayed in Nollywood films consumed by youths, determine the influence of these films on youths’ attitudes towards substance use, and assess the implications of such consumption on substance abuse behaviours. The study was anchored on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, which explains how youths model behaviours seen on screen, and Gerbner and Gross’s Cultivation Theory, which posits that prolonged media exposure shapes perceptions of social reality. A survey research design was adopted, with a sample of 389 respondents drawn from four purposively selected streets in Eket, using structured questionnaires to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that Nollywood films largely glamorise or trivialise substance abuse, making it appear fashionable; that a majority of respondents believed such portrayals encourage curiosity and experimentation while creating permissive attitudes; and that film consumption contributes to increased peer influence, higher risk of addiction, and academic decline among youths. The study concluded that Nollywood plays a significant role in shaping youths’ perceptions and behaviours towards substance use, thereby influencing the prevalence of substance abuse in the community. It is recommended that Nollywood filmmakers incorporate stronger moral lessons to discourage substance abuse, media regulatory bodies enforce stricter guidelines on the portrayal of drug and alcohol use, and educational institutions and youth organisations implement media literacy programmes to equip youths with critical viewing skills.