This book gives a panoramic view of the rise and growth of Nollywood, Nigeria's movie and home video entertainment industry, into the second largest and most prolific movie-producing industry in the world. It offers an analysis of Nollywood's influence as a local and global cultural force. Scholars from Africa, the African Diaspora and beyond examine the factors that have shaped Nollywood's unique story-telling, production, and distribution system. The volume shows how internal and external economic, social, cultural and technological changes intersect to define Nollywood's film-making and entertainment ethos. It is grounded in sound theoretical perspectives that help readers understand the texts and subtexts of the industry's emergence, transformation, and impact. The range of subjects covered span Nollywood's historical roots in Nigeria pre-colonial traveling/community theatre to colonial era film-making, and its contemporary spin-offs and inspired cousins across Africa and in Europe. It illuminates the interface of artistic, business, cultural and technological innovation and creativity at the heart of Africa's local and global pop culture explosion.

Bala A. Musa is Professor of Communication Studies at Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California, USA. An international scholar, Musa is fellow of many academic and professional organizations. He is author of Framing Genocide: Media, Diplomacy and Conflict; and Co-editor of From Twitter to Tahrir Square: Ethics in Social and New Media Communication; Communication, Culture and Human Rights in Africa; and Emerging Issues in Contemporary Journalism; among others.