Ballots or Bullets: Filmographic Perspectives on the Pervasive Incidents of Electoral Violence and Malpractices in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerian elections are rapidly descending to an all-out war, where the ordinary people, who are supposed to be the voters are pummeled, maimed and killed, while billions of Naira worth of public properties are 
destroyed in a bid by desperate politicians to manipulate election figures and impose themselves on the people as their leaders. Scholars and researchers, especially, those from the social sciences backgrounds have been churning out theories and investigations on why electoral violence persist, even with the enormous investments by government and even international donor agencies to eradicate this social epidemic. Different 
strategies have been adopted in a bid to eradicate, or at least, reduce incidents of violence in our elections, but it is either these strategies are not properly implemented or they are not the right strategies. There is however, an almost unanimous convergence by scholars and researchers alike that mass education, attitudinal reorientation and culture are critical to solving this menace. This paper therefore rides on the logic that the
mass reach and influence of films can be harnessed in the campaign against electoral violence. The paper advances arguments for government agencies concerned with the responsibility of conducting elections, 
international donor agencies and the private sector may optimize the power of theatre and films towards a drastic reduction in incidents of electoral violence and other electoral malfeasance.