Discussions on black British identity have largely centred on the experiences of Caribbean immigrants from the Windrush era and their descendants. Where conversations have included the African diaspora in Britain, it is rare that the thoughts and experiences of second and third generation British Africans are considered.
However, recent Cambridge graduate, Precious Oyelade, decided to shake up this conversation by looking at British Nigerian identity through the lens of Nigeria's thriving film industry: Nollywood.
When Precious submitted her dissertation in April, she did not expect the reception that would soon follow. Her dissertation entitled 'Changing Representations of Nigerian Identity: An Exploration through Nollywood and its Audience,’ was awarded a high first class, and it will soon be published. The 10,000 word thesis sought to explore second generation British-based Nigerians’ perceptions of themselves, Nigeria and other Nigerians and the role Nollywood plays in shaping this.