IMAGE OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE IN NIGERIAN HOME MOVIES

Abstract

Home videos consist of different story lines. Some present issues, personalities and organizations in good light while in some, they are presented negatively and in bad light. This study examines the portrayal of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Nigerian home movies with a view to finding out whether movies about the police force leave a good or bad impression of the police in the minds of citizens. The research setting is Awka, the capital city of Anambra state, Nigeria. The study was anchored on two theories- Framing and Reception theories. Mixed methodologies of survey and content reviews were adopted in the study. In survey, a sample size of 400 respondents was drawn using Taro Yamane Formula while a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select them. In content review, the film “Mission to Nowhere” which is a police-centred film was selected and reviewed. The result of the study showed that the residents perceive the police image as corrupt not because of how they are being portrayed in home videos, but because of experience from family and friends, personal experience or peer groups.  The study also established that the negative portrayals of the police in the home movies due not in any way affect their overall performance in their statutory duties as they are always undeterred by them. The study recommended intensified public relations practice by the police to enhance their image and research of story lines by the film producers before production.