Gender Dynamics for Advancement: Annexing Women’s Potentials for Sustainable Development through (Yoruba) Nollywood
Adagbada Olufadekemi Phd

Abstract
In the past, women, in virtually all the nations of the world, were severely oppressed and marginalized. The extent and forms of the oppression however differ along cultural lines. Over the years, there have been agitating moves to repel the oppression, albeit in different ways and under divergent nomenclatures. In present times globally, women are witnessing very less oppression and denigration by enjoying (near) equal rights with their male counterparts. What this study is set to examine is that if the female before now was denied asserting her rights and capabilities to the development of her society, now that she is not suffering oppression, in what ways can her sexuality be annexed, such that she can contribute her quotato the sustainable development of her society and the world at large? We have exemplified the roles of women in the metamorphic development of Yoruba drama, especially the contemporary film era, to drive home the point that with her ‘sacred’ mien and composition, the female gender can purposefully write, produce, act and direct films that can aid Nigeria in solving the present socio-political challenges that are threatening her very existence. Our theoretical framework is a combination of Womanism in the view of Hudson-Weems (1994) and Kolawole (1997) with Development and Media theory as opined by McQuail (2000). Our suggestions are that government and non-profit organizations in Nigeria should encourage female film producers by commissioning film projects to them and assist them financially with self-productions. Female producers on the hand are called upon to be patriotic by writing scripts producing and acting films that can assist in effecting positive change towards a unified, peaceful and virile nation, in their viewers.

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