Pidgin Englishes, marginality and fragility in Nollywood cinema: Exploring language, culture and storytelling

Nigerian Pidgin English serves as a means of communication and cultural expression in Nollywood films. Its usage is often stigmatized and marginalized, relegating Nigerian Pidgin English to inferior status compared to standard English. This article explores the sociocultural dynamics surrounding language ideologies and the tensions between monolingual and multilingual language enterprises. It analyses the cultural significance of storytelling in Nollywood, where language plays a crucial role in conveying community values and preserving knowledge systems. By examining the work of Nollywood director Ema Edosio, who focuses on authentic Nigerian narratives, the article underscores the power of Pidgin English as a tool for agency, cultural mediation and for challenging dominant linguistic paradigms. Perhaps it is not Nigerian Pidgin English that is fragile or marginalized.