Indigenous Makeup in Theatre Arts: Traditional Plants as Alternative Resources and Prospects for Nigeria’s Economy

The constant rise in the cost of imports in such a troubled economy like Nigeria’s requires the need for the nation to look inward by prioritising indigenous products in her multi-sectorial developmental drive. The present frenzy for foreign products cannot sustain national survival for very long. In this context, the entertainment sector in Nigeria remains one of the foremost and vibrant industries at the moment. Theatre artistry together with filmmaking which relies heavily on makeup products contributes a great chunk to the national economy in Nigeria and indeed. This places a very strong challenge to the indigenous filmmakers who import foreign material for makeup activities just as the steady rise of foreign currency is affecting the import and cost advantage of the nation. The paper is based on qualitative research method and it draws its theoretical framework on Ecocriticism. Findings show that many plants in Nigeria are rich in chemical contents for producing various kinds of makeup fittings for film and stage at reduced cost with risk properly controlled by using traditional substance that are properly screened in the laboratory. Akukin, Mmanyanga, Ateke, Aloe vera, and the likes of Iduod have been identified to be rich in contents for the production of lipstick, lip-gloss, artificial blood, scar wax and other makeup material. The paper concludes that indigenous products, screened in the laboratory for makeup, are safe and that they reduce cost and also encourage domestic economy.

Keywords: Ecology-Conservation Domestic Economy Filmmaking Makeup Products Traditional-Plants

Authors

• Stephen Umoh
  Department of Performing Arts,
  Akwa Ibom State University
  stephenumoh001@gmail.com
• Uwemedimo Atakpo
  Department of Performing Arts,
  Akwa Ibom State University
  profatakpo4040@yahoo.com
• Esekong Andrew-Essien
  Department of Theatre & Media Studies,
  University of Calabar
  esekongh@yahoo.com
• Usoro Mark Okono
  Department of English,
  Akwa Ibom State University