The Nonverbal Communication Dimension of African Movies

The Nonverbal Communication Dimension of African Movies

Onyenekwe, Ogochukwu N., Okpara, Chioma E.

Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.12040019

Received: 12 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025

ABSTRACT

Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in human interaction and movies, particularly in African cinema, where gestures, facial expressions, silence and environmental elements contribute significantly to narrative depth. This study examines the nonverbal communication dimension of African movies, focusing on The Black Book, directed by Editi Effiong. The objectives of this study include analyzing the impact of nonverbal cues specifically silence and environmental factors on character development, audience engagement, and cross-cultural communication. It further explores how these nonverbal elements contribute to conveying emotions, power dynamics, and moral dilemmas. Despite extensive research on communication in global cinema, nonverbal cues in African movies remain underexplored. Most studies focus on dialogue-driven movies, overlooking the role of body language, facial expressions, silence, and spatial arrangement in conveying emotions and social hierarchies. This study bridges this gap by analyzing how The Black Book employs these elements to enhance its narrative. This study employs semiotic analysis to examine key scenes from The Black Book, assessing how silence and environmental settings influence character development and audience engagement and understanding. It explores how the absence of dialogue, body language, facial micro expressions, and spatial arrangements shape perceptions of authority, corruption, grief, and moral dilemmas. The research is based on three key theories which are Nonverbal Communication Theory, this explains how gestures and silence function as communication tools; Power Dynamics Theory, which analyzes how nonverbal cues convey oppression, authority, and resistance; and the Psychological Theories of Moral Decision-Making, which explore how nonverbal cues reflect internal conflicts and ethical dilemmas. The results show that The Black Book makes good use of silence to highlight emotional depth, conflict, and defiance of authority. Strategic pauses draw attention to psychological challenges, while quiet locations, dark interrogation rooms, and organized power spaces quietly portray corruption and oppression. Lighting, sound, and spatial design further enhance the movie’s exploration of institutional power and moral ambiguity. The study highlights the crucial role of nonverbal communication, particularly silence and environmental symbolism, in shaping audience perception in African movies. It emphasizes the need for further research on the use nonverbal communication in movies, showcasing its ability to transcend language barriers and enhance cinematic expression.

INTRODUCTION

Nonverbal communication is the flow of information between people without the use of spoken language or words, and it is produced by means other than words. A person’s body language, gestures, and facial emotions are only a few examples of nonverbal communication, which includes eye contact, body language, or voice cues (Phutela, 2015). People of all nationalities use and understand nonverbal cues like smiling, sobbing, pointing, stroking, and staring, when language difficulties prevent spoken communication from working, these nonverbal cues enable the most fundamental kind of interaction (Manik, 2015).

According to Sooriya, 2017 Nonverbal communication includes a wide variety of signals that extend beyond spoken language, including body language, gestures, facial expressions, and subtle vocalizations like rhythm and tone. These cues have nuanced meanings that are essential to clear communication. For instance, facial expressions, sometimes even through minor microexpressions, are a potent means of communicating emotions.

Charles Darwin’s 1872 article, the Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, marked the beginning of the study of nonverbal communication. Darwin started researching nonverbal communication after observing how animals interacted with one another dogs, lions, tigers, and so on, and realizing that these animals also used gestures and facial expressions to communicate (Neiva, 2019). Nonverbal communication was examined and its applicability questioned for the first time.

The 1960s saw a rise in the field of nonverbal communication studies, with a focus on classifying nonverbal behaviors. Psychologists have been studying the effects of nonverbal communication in a variety of contexts, including law enforcement, commercial negotiations, and doctor-patient relationships. This has led to a growing understanding of nonverbal communication and its function in interpersonal dynamics (Eaves & Leathers, 2017).

Scholars recently contend that nonverbal communication is more effective in conveying meaning than spoken communication (Hall, Horgan, & Murphy, 2019). However, the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication is that the former is dependent on culture, while the latter is biological. Evidence from several cultures indicates that saying goodbye with a wave of the hand is universal, but vocal communication cannot establish this gesture to the same extent (Mehrabian, 2017).

The importance of nonverbal communication in African movies extends beyond aesthetics; it is an effective technique for enticing and engrossing audiences. This is because as viewers actively participate in comprehending the story through nonverbal signals, their level of involvement rises. The impact of the story is increased when nonverbal clues strengthen emotional connections, allowing viewers to deduce more profound meanings on their own. Furthermore, these movies are viewed by people of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds thanks to universality; this tends to enhance characters through nonverbal cues that disclose habits, feelings, and internal conflicts. It is worthy to note that using nonverbal clues, situations are shaped to create tension, suspense, or humor, thereby enabling information, connections, and story developments to be conveyed effectively in constrained amounts of time, which is essential for visual storytelling because it may express complicated storylines without heavily relying on dialogue.

Meaning is largely communicated nonverbally, especially in cross-cultural settings where verbal language barriers can make understanding difficult. Although verbal communication in cross-cultural relationships has been the subject of much research, little is known about the study of nonverbal communication in African movies, particularly the functions of silence and environmental factors, in intercultural communication. These nonverbal clues have a significant impact on how people from diverse cultural backgrounds interpret information. The purpose of this study is to examine the various aspects of nonverbal communication, and also to review the roles of silence and environment as a nonverbal communication, and how they contribute to the transmission of cross-cultural meaning in the movie, The Black Book.

This study looks at The Black Book, a movie that depicts intricate cross-cultural relationships, in an effort to provide light on how nonverbal clues influence the way communications are understood and interpreted in cross-cultural contexts. Communication in a variety of cross-cultural settings can be enhanced by being aware of these nonverbal cues.

Statement of the Problem:

Meaning is largely communicated nonverbally, especially in cross-cultural settings where verbal language barriers can make understanding difficult. Although verbal communication in cross-cultural contexts has been the subject of some research, little is known about the study of nonverbal communication in African movies, particularly the functions of silence and environmental factors, in intercultural communication.

This accounts for this study on the movie, The Black Book. It sheds light on how nonverbal communication cues are understood and interpreted in cross-cultural contexts especially in the African context.

Objectives of the Study

This study sought to:

Analyze the impact of nonverbal communication (silence and environment) on character development and audience engagement in The Black Book.

Ascertain how nonverbal communication contributed in conveying emotions, power dynamics and moral dilemma in The Black Book.

LITERATURE REVIEW: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION DIMENSION OF AFRICAN MOVIES

African movies are motion pictures that use multiple communication modalities to present a story. It is an audiovisual technological gadget that uses light and sound waves in combination to display messages (Danesi, 2014). It makes use of various dimensions of media, including nonverbal auditory channels and verbal auditory channels with dialogue, background voices, and occasionally lyrics consisting of spoken visuals (titles and textual signs placed on the screen), music, ambient sound, and sound effects, and nonverbal visuals image arrangement and flow (Al-Abbas & Haider, 2021).  In communicating, African moviemakers and producers use nonverbal cues to communicate in order to send various signals or meanings, which the audience can then decipher (Schaevitz, 2014). The fact that people express meaning through so many distinct facets of their behavior, appearance, and surroundings is one reason why nonverbal communication is so rich in information.  The many ways that information is sent are referred to in academics as nonverbal communication codes (Burgoon, Manusov, & Guerrero, 2021).  The different dimensions of nonverbal communication include but not limited to the following: kinesics, vocalics, proxemics, haptics, chronemics, physical appearance, artifacts, and environment (Saha, 2017).

Kinesics

Mittelberg, 2018 opines that the study and interpretation of human body motions that can be interpreted as metaphorical or symbolic in social interactions is known as kinesics. According to anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell, who coined this term in 1952, kinesics encompasses facial expressions, gestures, posture and gait, and visible arm and body movements (Givens & White, 2021). When utilized as symbolic gestures, expressive movements can be used in place of or in addition to spoken communication to convey ideas, sentiments, intentions, moods, and/or attitudes. A common understanding, or standardization, of bodily activity is necessary for it to have a shared communication value. Some people believe that kinesics is the most complex nonverbal code since it contains the majority of the activities that we often connect with nonverbal communication (Burgoon, Manusov & Guerrero, 2021).  The word kinesics comes from the Greek word, kinesis, meaning “movement,” and includes facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, and posture (Yekti, 2017).

• Facial Expressionsas a kinesic nonverbal method of communication, conveys a wide range of emotions, and we may infer a person’s emotional state from looking at their face. The significance of this kind of kinesics is demonstrated by the emoticons we employ in electronic media to convey attitudes and emotions (Hwang & Matsumoto, 2016). Indeed, some academics contend that of all the ways people communicate, facial expressions come in first (Barrett, Adolphs, Marsella, Martinez & Pollak, 2019). Facial expression is frequently governed by cultural norms. It’s a common misconception that everyone smiles, but that’s just untrue. The majority of people are able to grin, although smiles have varied cultural meanings and values (Arapova, 2016).  Stated differently, not everyone understands what a smile means. For instance, in Russia, people do not smile since it is considered silly or even cunning and manipulative, yet in Africa, a smile can signify love, acceptance, and consent.
• Eye contact, or Oculesics, as a nonverbal communication has various uses. Our eyes are used to convey feelings, control a discussion, demonstrate attentive listening, respect, status, hatred, and aggression, as well as to exhibit interest in other people (Atre, 2016).  Patterns of eye contact vary significantly by culture.
• Gestures are hand and arm motions used to convey meaning. We should take into account at least four distinct types of gestures: regulators, adaptors, illustrators, and emblems. Emblems are gestures that convey a particular verbal meaning and can serve to reinforce or replace words (Kendon, 2017). While gestures and their spoken meaning are interchangeable when using symbols, they are also highly culturally distinctive.
• Illustrators, also known as iconic nonverbal communications, are nonverbal cues that help us make our points and convey our message clearly. In order to demonstrate the precise size of the fish she just bought, a woman would hold out her two hands 6 inches apart while describing it (Burgoon, Manusov & Guerrero, 2021).
• Regulators as a nonverbal dimension can be used to encourage, maintain, or restrict connection. For instance, you can raise your hand to signal for the speaker to stop speaking if they are conveying a confused, insultive or disturbing message to you (Eaves & Leathers, 2017).
• Adaptors give us comfort or serve as mood or emotion indicators. As an adaptor, you could satisfy your desire for security by doing things like fiddling with your hair, exploring your surroundings, or giving yourself a loving hug (Sadiki, 2020).
• Posture is the last kinesics concept on our list. Humans have the ability to tilt their heads, bend forward or backward, round or slump their shoulders, and stand up straight or slouch (Krumrey, 2019). Individual differences in posture might be seen as nonverbal communication. The way a person holds their body whether standing or sitting is known as their posture. It also aims to demonstrate a method of handling or thinking about something. A person’s posture can reveal a lot about them, including how they see themselves and how they are feeling. Such actions may be taken with the intention of impressing or deceiving someone into adopting a specific mindset or disposition. A participant’s posture can reveal their level of interest or engagement, the disparity in status between the communicators, and how much affection they have for the other communicator (Bull, 2016).

Vocalics

Vocalics, also known as paralanguage (with-language), refers to the vocal traits humans employ to convey nonverbal messages. Vocalics is the study of verbal and nonverbal elements of speech, such as rate, pitch, tone, volume, intensity, pausing, and even silence, that affect meaning. As was previously said, verbal pauses or silences might convey hesitancy, signal the need to collect oneself, or be used as a mark of respect. There are instances when what someone chooses not to say can teach us just as much—if not more—than what they do say (Oggiano, 2023).

Proxemics

Proxemics, a term for nonverbal communication derived from the Latin proximus, which means “near,” describes the use of physical distance or space in communication. In a nonverbal environment, space refers to the area between persons and objects. Space plays a crucial role in communication and is frequently linked to social status (Abdulaziz, 2022).

Haptics

In communication, this is called touch, derived from the Greek word “haptien” in antiquity. The length of contact, the area of the body being touched, and the force of the contact can all affect how a touch feels (Krumrey, 2019). Cultural norms have a significant influence on how individuals utilize and view touch. For instance, in African Igbo custom, the king bestows blessings or approval upon his family or followers by patting them on the back with the royal staff.

Chronemics

Chronemics examines how time is used in nonverbal communication, while it also has ramifications for spoken communication. Time perception encompasses interactions, willingness to wait, and punctuality. Time management has an impact on people’s daily schedules, speaking rates, movement patterns, and listening duration (Vajzerová, 2019). Furthermore, it is the study of how a particular culture perceives, codes, and communicates time. It is among the many subcategories that have been found in research on nonverbal communication. In accordance with the Encyclopedia of Special Education, Chronemics includes time orientation, understanding and organization, the use of and reaction to time pressures, the innate and learned awareness of time, by physically wearing or not wearing a watch, arriving, starting, and ending late or on time (Schmidt & Lee, 2019). A person’s communication process is greatly influenced by their perception of and attitudes around time. Time management has an impact on relationships, employment, and lifestyles (Mathews & Khann, 2016).

Physical Appearance

Our communication encounters are greatly influenced by outward characteristics such as hair, clothes, body type, personal care, jewelry, spectacles, backpacks, briefcases, and handbags. Conversely, your appearance speaks just as much about you as your words. People attribute greater degrees of intelligence, persuasiveness, poise, sociability, warmth, power, and job success to physically attractive people than to unattractive people across all cultures.

Artifacts

Artifacts are the items we own that shape our self-perception and they serve as a means of communicating who we are to others. Alongside piercing and rings, they might also have corporate names and trademarks (Zhang, 2021). Anything we choose to surround ourselves with, whether it be apparel, cars, jewelry, luggage, wallets, or even spectacles, says something about who we are. Also gender, profession or status, rank or position, personality, and identification with or membership in a group can all be projected (Rose, 2014).

Environment

Our surroundings serve as one last nonverbal communication channel. The physical components of our surrounds are a part of our environment. A vital component of the constant communication process is surroundings, which goes beyond the seating arrangements in an office. One’s attitude to their surroundings is influenced by how they perceive things (Patterson, 2019).

Cultural Space

The house is among the first cultural settings that people have ever encountered. One’s home can be a great place to find identity. It frequently communicates safety and security as well as social status and customs. The sentiments evoked by a place are what define it as home, not the actual location. A place’s address, a city, a state, a region, or even a country can all be considered home (Ting-Toomey & Dorjee, 2018). Santino (2016) avers that by flying local flags, dressing uniquely, celebrating local holidays, and engaging in other cultural activities, one might symbolically communicate this cultural area even with saying a word.

Finally, Burgoon, Manusov, & Guerrero, (2021) says even if someone doesn’t comprehend what you say, they will undoubtedly interpret your nonverbal cues based on the standards that are widely recognized. When you are trying to communicate, it is crucial to remember that it is their views that matter and that they are founded on their culture’s experiences and beliefs, not yours. Even under the best of circumstances, nonverbal communication is uncertain, so one size does not always suit all.

Theoretical Framework

Many facets and theories can be used to analyze The Black Book via the perspective of nonverbal communication, using some of pertinent of nonverbal communication, in order to comprehend how silent communication and environment channels support the story and themes of the movie. These theoretical stances highlight the ways in which emotions are communicated and relationship structures are shaped by nonverbal clues such body language, facial expressions, and environmental cues. It examines how people perceive nonverbal cues in social situations and react to them.

Nonverbal Communication Theory

Transmitting information or messages without using spoken words is known as nonverbal communication. These include contextual signals, posture, eye contact, facial emotions, gestures, and body language. In The Black Book, characters’ power relationships, psychological states, and emotions are all expressed largely through nonverbal communication. The main character, Paul Edima (Richard Mofe-Damijo), expresses his emotional chaos, agony, and resolve through body language and facial expressions. Following the death of his son, his clinched jaw, furrowed brows, and piercing eyes reveal his grief and unwavering pursuit of justice. In situations where words alone would not adequately convey the intensity of his emotional turmoil, these nonverbal clues are especially crucial. This is seen in Paul’s body language, which is frequently rigid or tense, conveys defiance and resistance when he engages with dishonest officials or his adversaries. In certain circumstances, his silence conveys authority, control, or a refusal to participate in pointless discussions. These silent gestures are used throughout the movie to highlight Paul’s psychological struggle, particularly when he struggles with moral choices and personal loss.

Power Dynamics Theory

Power dynamics theory looks at how power is distributed, used, abused and resisted in interpersonal relationships. The plot of The Black Book heavily relies on power dynamics, particularly when taking institutional corruption and societal injustice into account. Power is communicated both verbally and nonverbally, and the struggle for supremacy is evident throughout the movie. The movie’s depiction of power has a close connection to institutional corruption. The contrast between the rich elite and the impoverished masses is reflected in both the physical locations, the opulent mansions against dilapidated neighborhoods and the power relations inside these settings. In addition to using their positions to acquire power, corrupt politicians, businesspeople, and bureaucrats also express a lot of their influence nonverbally through body language, eye contact, and spatial location. Furthermore, it is possible to read Paul Edima’s journey in the film as a kind of resistance against the corrupt power systems that have shaped his life and the regrettable circumstances surrounding the murder of his son.

Psychological Theories of Moral Decision-Making

Psychological theories of moral decision-making focus on how individuals make ethical choices, especially when faced with moral dilemmas or complex emotional situations. In The Black Book, characters like Paul Edima are repeatedly confronted with decisions that test their morality, and the consequences of these decisions are explored throughout the film.

An important part of Paul’s character growth is his internal moral conflict. He must choose between seeking revenge for his son’s death, which would mean continuing the cycle of violence, and choosing a new course that might result in his own redemption. His attempts to balance his sense of morality with his desire for justice are evident in both his spoken and unspoken acts. His body language reveals his mental struggle with these problems during meditative moments, such as when he stands by himself in areas with little illumination.

Grief has a significant impact on Paul’s emotional journey, which impacts his choices. The film conveys the intensity of his grief through nonverbal communication. His slouched demeanor and quiet times of introspection following the death of his son reveal the intense suffering that shapes the decisions he makes. These psychological aspects are crucial to his pursuit of justice as he works through the corrupt system, as his feelings frequently influence his decisions more than logical or rational thought.
Through a variety of personalities, the psychological effects of residing under corrupt and repressive governments are examined. For example, the corrupt officials’ body language frequently conveys feelings of guilt, fear, or worry. The psychological toll of retaining power through unethical means is not unheard of by these people, and their behavioral clues—such as anxious fidgeting and avoiding eye contact—show the moral concessions they have made.

The Environmental Cues such as the movie’s settings, which range from wealthy mansions and governmental offices to poor areas, offer subtle clues that affect nonverbal communication. These settings stand for institutional corruption, socioeconomic inequality, and the moral choices that the protagonists must make.

Also, the ambience of different scenes’ lighting, sound, and spatial configurations produce emotive ambiences that improve nonverbal communication. For instance, busy city streets or poorly lit interrogation rooms can heighten the suspense and anxiety at crucial moments.

Strategic use of silence highlighted the power struggles and psychological conflict within the characters. Lengthy silences, for example, indicate authority, extortion, or tactical planning during talks or arguments. Silence provides characters the chance to deal with loss, consider moral decisions, or express underlying comprehension. These silent intervals emphasize psychological problems in characters such as Paul Edima and deepen their emotional connection.           

In conclusion, Editi Effiong’s movie The Black Book explores themes of justice, retribution, and individual redemption in the face of institutional corruption by utilizing nonverbal communication channels within a framework of facial expression, silence, and the nearby environments. The film allows audiences to decipher nonverbal clues and body language that disclose people’s inner struggles, motivations, and reactions to outside influences.

The Black Book strengthens its narrative depth and expressive authenticity by putting a strong emphasis on nonverbal communication through body language, facial expressions, and environmental indicators. It emphasizes how important silence communicates in forming ethical decisions, establishing relationships with others, and obtaining justice in a complicated and morally complex social environment. Overall, The Black Book uses subtle silent communication channels to depict human emotions, relationships, and societal issues.

DISCUSSION

This study is concerned with the use of nonverbal communication, in African movies. Using semiotic analysis as a methodology to examine Editi Effiong’s movie, The Black Book allows for the exploration of various aspects of nonverbal communication, and also reviews the roles of silence and environment as nonverbal communication, within the film. The Movie which has become a huge hit, has been quite popular among other movies and is among the top trending movies on the platform in a number of nations. The study of semiotics focuses on how these: silence, signs and environment are used to express deeper cultural, emotional, and thematic meaning. We can gain a deeper understanding of the film’s message delivery, meaning-making, and reflection of societal or psychological concerns by examining these indicators. The Black Book, which stars a number of Nollywood’s A-list celebrities, is a movie that reintroduces African action cinema to global audiences.

The Black Book, which is arguably the most popular African movie on Netflix, is a story of power, retaliation, nepotism, and atonement with a hint of religion—but not in a didactic sense. The movie centers on Paul Edima (Richard Mofe-Damijo), a former soldier and assassin who is now a deacon. Damilola (Olumide Oworu), Paul’s son, is set up for the kidnapping of Professor Stella Craig’s (Bimbo Akintola) husband and son. In an attempt to clear his son of the charges against him, Paul takes matters into his own hands and battles the formidable genius gang and the dishonest cops. An intriguing idea engrosses you in the characters of The Black Book.

Shaffy Bello’s portrayal of the overbearing Big Daddy with her all-female army of villains, Alex Usifo Omiagbo as General Isa, and Nigerian-American actress Ade Laoye as Vic Kalu, an ethical journalist dedicated to exposing the evil in her society, are among the other renowned Nollywood actors in the movie.

Using some scenes from the movie, The Black Book as data, the scenes after the police took away the dead body of Paul Edima’s son (Damilola Edima), where he was lonely walking back home, and also when he was holding the dead son’s picture in his sitting room. The study analyzed the roles of silence and environment as nonverbal communication, in conveying intercultural meaning in the movie. Additionally, looking at the different scenes of the lonely fairly northern rural dilapidated building where Alex Usifo Omiagbo (General Isa) resides, the market place and all other lonely places used in diverse scenes, it was evident that they gave careful consideration to the lighting and local environment used in this movie. Excellent color grading was achieved in the background and its environment. Since the movie is somewhat gloomy, the color scheme was limited to gray, black, yellow, and blue. This allowed them to fully immerse us in Paul Edima’s world and made us experience every feeling possible, including grief, hope, and death.

Analysis of the Role of Silence as Nonverbal Communication:

The Black Book, directed and co-written by Editi Effiong, effectively employs silence and environment to tell the story of Paul Edima’s yearning for vengeance and reparation following the death of his son in Nigerian police corruption. The viewer has a deeper comprehension of the characters’ inner conflicts, motivations, and connections when silence fosters an atmosphere where the unsaid becomes just as significant as what is said.  The movie skillfully conveys difficult feelings, conflicts, and moral issues through silence, which makes it an essential part of the story and thematic investigation of justice, corruption, and individual reconciliation.

The roles of silence are demonstrated by profound feelings and internal conflict. Paul Edima (Richard Mofe-Damijo) uses silence at several pivotal moments to subtly express intense sadness, sorrow, rage, and perseverance. His quiet moments reveal the magnitude of his inner agony and the fury of his determination to get revenge on those who killed his son.

Likewise, during conflicts and strategic planning, silence was employed to increase suspense and tension. It highlights the high stakes involved and heightens the suspense for key scenes, which include Paul Edima’s (Richard Mofe-Damijo) meetings with corrupt officials or his preparations for the vengeance mission.

Silence was also a tactics used for oppression and diplomatic interaction. During talks or confrontations, Paul Edima’s (Richard Mofe-Damijo) prolonged pauses and silent looks gently challenge his opponents and emphasize his determination, demonstrating his tactical ability when confronting risky circumstances.

Analysis of the Role of Environment as Nonverbal Communication:

Environment was used as nonverbal communication in the movie The Black Book to represent power struggles, social inequities, and the harsh reality of metropolitan Nigeria (specifically, Lagos and Kaduna as depicted in the movie). Each environment, from the contrasted rich landscapes to the dirty alleys where corruption thrives, emphasizes the ethical dilemmas and societal and economical divides that form the center of the story.

Again, the use of genuine background and cultural context, these environments offer a genuine representation of modern Nigerian society. By illustrating the intricacies of police work, political corruption, and social standards, they provide context for the story’s cultural setting and shed light on the difficulties experienced by people like Paul Edima’s (Richard Mofe-Damijo) character. Additionally, the visual storytelling and mood of the movie add to the environmental aspects that heighten the tension, realism, and emotional resonance of the scene, influencing how the spectator engages with Paul’s quest for justice and retribution. Likewise issues such as power, corruption, or emotional states are represented through the creative use of color and lighting. This examined how, in pivotal situations such as conflicts or dilemmas regarding ethics, dark unclear lighting represents threat or moral ambiguity.

In addition to enhancing the narrative’s emotional depth and thematic richness, this blend of silence and environments highlight the movie’s examination of systemic corruption and the human sacrifices made in the name of justice and honesty. Consequently, it can be observed that Paul Edima’s (Richard Mofe-Damijo) compelling tale of loss, vengeance, and justice in Nigeria was enhanced by the use of various aspects of nonverbal communication, silence and environment. The movie explores Paul’s emotional journey and tactical ability through quiet moments, and the finely constructed environment serve as a background that highlights the social and cultural components of his quest. As a result, the environment not only provides a setting for action but also actively participates in the narrative, influencing the audience’s feelings, understanding and thoughts.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In conclusion, nonverbal communication is crucial to the storytelling in African movies since it can often express a wide range of complicated feelings and storylines without the need for spoken words. Since nonverbal communication is used in almost all human interactions, it is an essential ability. Every discussion or presentation has it, so the speaker may either utilize it as a tool to support what they are saying or leave it there to divert attention or contradict what they are saying. The Nonverbal Communication Theory, Power Dynamics Theory and Psychological Theories of Moral Decision-Making theory aids in shedding light on The Black Book’s characters and larger issues.  The movie shows how emotions, power, and psychological problems are communicated nonverbally, frequently more effectively than through spoken words. It also demonstrates that nonverbal communication frequently crosses cultural boundaries, which is one of the aspects of it that makes it so valuable in today’s world. It surpasses spoken language in that it has a significantly better success rate when employed and understood. Developing professional and personal relationships as well as giving an effective presentation can be greatly aided by paying close attention to nonverbal communication. This can prove devastating if not utilized appropriately.

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