A Cinematic Reflection on Nigeria’s Political Economy Using Nollywood’s Black Book as a Lens

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2025.9.3.354

Abstract

In a nation where memory is contested and justice elusive, the cinema exists as both witness and warrior. This study undertakes a screen semiotic analysis of The Black Book (2023), a groundbreaking Nollywood political thriller directed by Editi Effiong, to explore how Nigerian cinema reflects and critiques the country’s turbulent political economy. Anchored in Nigeria’s socio-political realities, militarism, corruption, privatization, and elite impunity, the film is read as a complex cinematic text that interrogates the architecture of state power and moral agency. Utilizing screen semiotics as the primary methodology, the paper analyzes rhetorical tropes, modality, mise-en-scène, camera work, narrative gaps, and auditory codes to reveal how the film constructs a symbolic resistance to hegemonic state narratives. The study draws from foundational theorists such as Barthes, Metz, Hall, and Mulvey, applying their insights to African visual storytelling traditions. Particular attention is paid to themes of justice versus injustice, personal redemption, and institutional complicity, as well as the film’s connotative use of symbols such as books, churches, silence, and uniforms. This study positions The Black Book not only as a cinematic achievement but also as a political act, an artistic archive of Nigeria’s democratic contradictions, and a visual grammar of resistance for its uncertain future.

Author Biographies

Essien Oku Essien, Drexel University, Philadelphia

Essien Oku Essien is a PhD Candidate in Communication, Culture, and Media Studies, a Doctoral Researcher at Drexel University, and a Research Fellow with the Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) Consortium, Washington, D.C., USA. His research interests focus on semiotics, disinformation infrastructures, postcolonial logics, and the social constructions that shape media and public understanding. His inquiries further draw from interdisciplinary traditions to explore the intersections of media theory, ideology critique, and cultural narratives, contributing to broader conversations on meaning-making, power, and the circulation of ideas in contemporary society.

Emmanuel Nyong Inyang, University of Cross River State, Calabar

Emmanuel Nyong Inyang, PhD in Mass Communication, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Cross River State, Calabar, and a Visiting Lecturer at Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Nigeria. His teaching and research focus on film studies, with particular interests in semiotics, film theories, and aesthetics.

Jason Emeka Umahi, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River

Jason Emeka Umahi (BSc in Policy and Administrative Studies) is a researcher with interests in comparative politics, public policy, international relations, and governance. His work explores how policies shape development outcomes, with experience in political communications, media analysis, and academic research. He has co-authored publications on migration, insecurity, and political appointments in Africa, while his undergraduate thesis examined agricultural policies and poverty reduction in Nigeria.

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Published
2025-10-10
How to Cite
Essien, E., Inyang, E., & Umahi, J. (2025). A Cinematic Reflection on Nigeria’s Political Economy Using Nollywood’s Black Book as a Lens. Changing Societies & Personalities, 9(3), 800-825. doi:10.15826/csp.2025.9.3.354
Citation Formats
Issue
Vol. 9, No. 3 (2025)
Section
Articles