FEMALE DIRECTORS AND GENDER REPRESENTATIONS IN NOLLYWOOD: A STUDY OF FUNKE AKINDELE'S A TRIBE CALLED JUDAH

This study examines the influence of female directors on gender representation in Nollywood, with a focus on Funke Akindele’s record-breaking film A Tribe Called Judah (2023). Nollywood, historically dominated by male filmmakers, has often portrayed women through stereotypical and patriarchal lenses, limiting their roles to domesticity, victimhood, or moral deficiency. The emergence of female directors, however, signals a transformative shift in the industry’s narrative structure and gender politics. Using qualitative textual and thematic analysis, the research investigates how Akindele’s directorial choices reshape the portrayal of female and male characters, challenge entrenched stereotypes, and foreground women’s resilience, leadership, and agency. The study applies feminist film theory, African feminist perspectives to analyze how themes of gender, ethnicity, family, and power are represented. Findings reveal that A Tribe Called Judah presents a multidimensional female protagonist, Jedidah, who embodies strength and sacrifice as a single mother navigating socio-economic and cultural adversities. The film disrupts patriarchal norms by humanizing both female and male characters, reimagining masculinity, and affirming non-traditional family structures. Furthermore, it reflects Nigeria’s cultural dynamism by blending feminist storytelling with ethnic diversity and national identity concerns. The study concludes that female directors like Funke Akindele play a pivotal role in reshaping Nollywood’s gender discourse. Their narratives not only challenge patriarchal conventions but also offer more inclusive, empowering, and culturally grounded representations. Recommendations emphasize increased support for female filmmakers through funding, training, and policy reforms, as well as further comparative research on gender portrayals in Nollywood and global African cinema