Mo's Reviews

23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 4 Political campaign posters are carefully designed visual pieces meant to convey a candidate’s identity, values, and vision. In Nigeria's political arena, these posters go beyond simple advertising—they act as instruments for mobilization, shaping ideologies, and fostering national conversation. Peter Obi, who previously served as the governor of Anambra State and is a 2023 presidential candidate representing the Labour Party, has resonated strongly with Nigeria’s youth and middle class. This support stems largely from his reputation as a reformist leader who prioritizes transparency and the needs of the people. His campaign poster visually encapsulates these principles. By expertly utilizing color, typography, image layout, and symbolism, the poster establishes Obi's identity as a leader, connects him with national unity, and conveys political values centered on change, integrity, and inclusivity. Color is vital in visual communication, espe...

  23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 3 Nigerian cinema, often known as Nollywood, has increasingly become a mirror for society, reflecting its issues, critiquing them, or sometimes even portraying an idealized version of reality. The 2018 film Chief Daddy, produced by EbonyLife Films and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, blends comedy and drama, focusing on the aftermath of a wealthy patriarch's death and the ensuing chaos over his estate. On the surface, it seems like a light-hearted movie, but when viewed through a Marxist perspective, it offers a nuanced insight into class dynamics, elite privilege, and economic disparity in contemporary Nigeria. At the core of Marxist theory is the idea that the economic base—the relationships and means of production—shapes the superstructure, which includes culture, law, politics, and ideology. Films are part of this cultural landscape and can either challenge or reinforce the prevailing ideologies, usually those of the bourgeoisie. In this contex...

23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 2 Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model is a key concept in media and cultural studies. It challenges the notion that people simply absorb media messages in the same way. Hall suggests that producers encode messages with specific meanings, while audiences decode them, often interpreting these messages differently—whether in a dominant (preferred), negotiated, or oppositional manner. When we apply this theory to CNN’s investigation of the Lekki Tollgate shooting in Nigeria, we can see the intricate nature of media representation and how it can elicit a range of responses from both local and global audiences. On October 20, 2020, Nigerian security forces reportedly opened fire on peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos. This incident quickly became emblematic of state violence and ignited international outrage. CNN’s investigation, which analyzed videos, geolocation data, witness testimonies, and verified bullet casings, sought to un...

 23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 4 A bell hooks-Inspired Critique of “Feliz Navidad Nigeria!” bell hooks’ works on intersectional feminism and cultural criticism provide a deep methodological framework upon which to mount an analysis of the media representation, especially on race, gender, class, and culture. The critique transcends a single-axis framework of analysis and prompts one to think about the ways in which systems of oppression and identity interlock. Furthermore, it insists upon centering Black voices and experiences within feminist discourse and advocates for cultural specificity and community in the processes of resisting and empowering. Applying this lens to “Feliz Navidad Nigeria!”, a colorful Nigerian music video of Christmas celebrations rendered through indigenous dance, music, and festive attire, unveils a colorful and complex interplay of cultural pride and gendered representation with global media dynamics. Positioning Black Nigerian Identity and Cultural Pride At...

23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 3 From Laura Mulvey's leading essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'(1975) sprang the term male gaze, which has arguably become a fundamental ground of theorization signifying how women are allocated and perceived as representative objects of male pleasure in mainstream media. According to Mulvey, such constructions take the form of visual and narrative systems within which a masculine perspective adopts the camera, narrative, and spectator as bringing women's passive presentation as objects of erotic spectacle toward man active subjects of desire and action. Evaluating Mulvey's application to 'Feliz Navidad Nigeria!', a lively music video celebrating Nigerian culture created through festive songs and dance, is to share that highly gendered visual dynamics are so entrenched that they might be readily identified within context-by-context confines. Just like the video celebrates Nigerian traditions in a joyful and colorful li...

                                                                                                              23BE033016 MCM221 ASSIGNMENT 1 DAPPER DAN & BLACK CREATIVITY UNDER CAPITALISM In 2019, Dapper Dan, born Daniel Day, announced a limited edition of his Harlem collection, adding another addition to his ongoing line with Gucci as well as completing a return to cultural relevance for the first time in a decade. Numero Homme magazine held a shoot in Harlem to commemorate the occasion, later releasing a Behind The Scenes of the whole process and while one can feel joy at black expression shown on such a large scale, diving deeper into Dap’s background and the circumstances that lead him here, it paints ...