As a cultural force, cinema continues to both mirror and question the frameworks of empire and colonial power. This presentation examines the essence of Black History Month by presenting the Biafran struggle – which parallels the civil rights demonstrations in America – as an African civil rights issue. It analyses how Nollywood film scores assert postcolonial identity, commemorate social struggles, and actively perform Black memory. The presentation underscores the continued relevance of cinema in negotiating Africa’s colonial and postcolonial legacies, cultural, and cinematic insights.

The discussion will be led by Obumneke Anyanwu, whose doctoral research examines the representation of heritage in Nollywood film music. More broadly, her scholarship is situated at the nexus of African cinema, cultural and heritage studies, and the dynamic mediations of music in new media ecologies. With a particular focus on African screen cultures, she foregrounds Nollywood as a central site of inquiry. She is the founder of Sound and Screen Africa (SSA), a pan-African initiative that explores the role of music, sound, and storytelling in African cinema and media, through which she successfully organized its inaugural conference. Her passion for music and film music pedagogy guides her future career in teaching the art.

See also: Half a Yellow Sun

Notes by David O’Mahony