“ACHALUGO, I AM GOING TO MARRY YOU” NOLLYWOOD’S VIRAL DIALOGUE AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE IN NIGERIAN POPULAR CULTURE.”

Iloanwusi, Vitalis Chinemerem and Dike, Chioma Vivian (2025) “ACHALUGO, I AM GOING TO MARRY YOU” NOLLYWOOD’S VIRAL DIALOGUE AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE IN NIGERIAN POPULAR CULTURE.”. RSU JOURNAL OF THEATRE AND FILM STUDIES, 5. pp. 1-21.

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Abstract

This study examines the viral Nollywood dialogue “Achalugo, I am going to marry you” from Love in Every Word and its transformation into a cultural and commercial phenomenon in Nigerian popular culture. Anchored in Henry Jenkins’ Spreadability Model and the framework of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), the research explores how indigenous language, specifically the Igbo term “Achalugo” (symbolizing beauty and grace), transcends its cinematic origin to become embedded in everyday speech, social media, and commercial advertising. Through qualitative analysis, the study highlights the performances of Uzor Arukwe and Bamike Olawunmi (Bammy Bestowed), whose portrayals contributed significantly to the emotional resonance and popularity of the phrase. It further investigates how businesses across sectors, from logistics and real estate to education and hospitality, strategically deploy the phrase to attract culturally engaged consumers. The study argues that Nollywood, through audience participation and digital circulation, facilitates both the preservation and commodification of indigenous language, raising critical questions about cultural authenticity, linguistic identity, and the role of film in shaping sociolinguistic trends. The findings contribute to scholarly discourse on media virality, language economy, and the evolving functions of Nigerian cinema in a participatory media landscape.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PQ Romance literatures
Divisions: Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Art
Depositing User: Uchenna Eneogwe
Date Deposited: 09 Sep 2025 09:28
Last Modified: 09 Sep 2025 09:28
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/5498

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