THE ROLE OF FILM IN ADVANCING WOMEN'S POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY OF PATRICK DOYLE'S MADAM PRESIDENT

Abstract

This study investigates Madam President (2017), a Nigerian political thriller by Patrick Doyle, as a cinematic intervention in the discourse on women’s political empowerment in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, situated within the broader context of gender representation in Nollywood. The study argues that the film presents a formidable framework for reimagining the emergence of female leadership within entrenched patriarchal systems. Employing Cultivation Theory, Agenda-Setting Theory, and Feminist Film Theory, the analysis demonstrates that the film challenges dominant gender stereotypes, exposes structural barriers to women’s political advancement, and performs an instructive role in shaping audiences’ perceptions of leadership and governance. Through its narrative and character construction, the film emphasises the tensions between symbolic representation and structural exclusion. Madam President contributes meaningfully to expanding the imaginative possibilities surrounding female political leadership. Findings confirm that the film, as an electronic media text, interrogates and overturns conventional gender hierarchies commonly portrayed in Nollywood, and that it plays a significant role in advancing discourse on women’s political empowerment. The study concludes that the film demonstrates the power of media in shaping societal attitudes and promoting gender inclusion. The study therefore recommends greater gender parity in Nigerian politics and argues that cinematic portrayals should reflect broader systemic and representational reforms necessary for achieving substantive women’s political empowerment.