Invasion of foreign telenovelas: Any Implications?
Let me start this by saying assuming that Ghallywood (Ghana's 'western' movie industry) was producing 'foreign' movies with complicated English which, maybe, excited the feeling of nausea in the English-phobia and, just another maybe, also fought against our efforts at safeguarding and projecting our own local languages.
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Now, Kumawood comes to salvage the situation with movies richly cooked with our indigenous languages to cater for some of us whose ears are at war with the English Language.
For years, we have applauded Kumawood for feeding us with wisdom and humour-impregnated local movies. Do we now have problems with them too?
How come Ghanaians now travel to India and Mexico to import telenovelas, force some local words into the mouths of the characters to make it look as though Indians and Mexicans share a common ancestry with Ghanaians, and display these series on our television networks while our home-made series rot on the shelves of Abeiku Container and other movie studios?
What exactly is the problem with us? Have we been cursed to reject our own? What is the message these Mexican series are preaching which our local movies have failed to propagate?
It is not only a pity but also a source of worry to see our schoolchildren dump their books anytime it strikes 7:30pm to chase a telenovela that has no bearing on their academics.
Granted these series offer them some insights into life, are these life lessons not found in the textbooks and classroom tutorials they receive daily? And have these telenovelas also come to replace the novels and short stories which our students read to enhance their language acquisition and development?
It is sad to think about the damage these telenovelas can do to our schoolchildren who have already fallen prey to them.
We may not be able to place a ban on the importation of such telenovelas into the country. But at least, some measures can be employed to improve the situation.
In some countries, the number of hours foreign films are shown on television networks and even in the theatres is regulated.
In other countries, a certain percentage of local content is forced on all television networks. Can we do it in Ghana too?
I'm apparently not happy with the turn of events. But, like the Agama lizard that just fell from the iroko tree after being catapulted by a mischievous boy, I will not only nod in disgust, I will also shake my tail while I crawl away like an ignorant old dude.
What do I know after all?