This Day Live (Lagos, Nigeria), May 27, 2012
Summary:
Many attempts had been made to bring back storytelling on the electronic media. They do not necessarily encourage creativity.
How then can the Nigerian or the African folktales become marketable brands? The answer is through creativity. Of course, not all cartoon heroes are moral characters. Some are vengeance inclined and are not exactly good exemplars. But there are creative ways of resuscitating the storytelling tradition and making it marketable.
One is by retelling the folktales in a way that the protagonists are endowed with good virtues, strength and courage. Screen experience has taught us that the stories do not have to be told the same way they had been told some years ago in order to make an impact on the audience. It should be recalled that many versions of Cinderella story have been told.
But will folktales resurface on our television screens? It is unlikely. Most television programmes are either repeat broadcast of foreign programmes on satellite or an imitation.
But since folktales are essential morale couriers, they can help lay good foundation in national building. Folktales can teach young children about how to shun vices like greed which is an underlying factor in corruption. When children are taught to make drawings of the characters in their folktales, they can develop the interest in other areas of visual art that can benefit them as well as the creative industry.
Folktales are short in content and can be used in making short documentary films that can either promote an orientation or discard an obsolete one.
Subjects Covered: education