Baba Dan Audu: The journey of an almajiri to stardom

Muhammadu Rabi’u Rikadawa is one of the few versatile actors the Hausa movie industry has produced. Popular for his multi-dimensional roles in both Hausa and English movies, Baba Dan Audu, as he is called in the industry, has won several awards and his role in the TV series: ‘Beyond The Veil’, has earned him global […]

Muhammadu Rabi’u Rikadawa is one of the few versatile actors the Hausa movie industry has produced. Popular for his multi-dimensional roles in both Hausa and English movies, Baba Dan Audu, as he is called in the industry, has won several awards and his role in the TV series: ‘Beyond The Veil’, has earned him global recognition. In this chat with Weekend Trust, Baba Dan Audu takes us through his journey to stardom.

 

Early life

I was born and raised in Kaduna State. My father is from Godiya in Kabo Local Government Area, while my mother is from Rikadawa in Madobi Local Government Area, both of Kano State.  At an early stage, I was sent far away from home to study the Qur’an, a tradition known as ‘Almajiranci’. I returned home after completing my studies. It was at that moment that I told my parents that I wanted to acquire Western education, but my father in particular, kicked against it.

However, with the support of one of my grandparents, my brother and I were enrolled in school, though we are much bigger than our classmates. Initially, I did not understand what was being taught. Gradually, I picked up and excelled among my classmates. I was pushed to write my common entrance examination ahead of my classmates, because at that time, I already had the physique of an adult. Meanwhile, my brother dropped out of school and went ahead to pursue other things.

After my common entrance, I enrolled in a secondary school. It was while I was in secondary school that my talent as an actor.

 

Journey to acting

My relationship with acting started in secondary school. I was a member of the Hausa drama society in our school, because back then, as a kid or a young man growing up, my interest in acting was very strong and it manifested in almost all my activities. While in school, during one of our vacations, the first radio station in northern Nigeria: that is Northern Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) now Kaduna State Broadcasting Corporation (KSBC) started a drama programme and I was lucky to have been part of it.

The drama tagged ‘Bagiringirin ba’ became a household name in the then northern Nigeria. As a young adult, I played a very significant role in that drama and fortunately, the drama became so popular that we were invited by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna. I was attached to a producer named Sabo Sulaiman, but instead of placing me in the drama team, he placed me in the Current Affairs unit, appearing in a programme titled: ‘Brain Trust’. After spending some time there, I was taken to do what I love, which is drama. I later became a drama script writer and producer.

All this while, I was in secondary school. I later joined the NTA, where I was attached to a kiddies drama sponsored by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). It was titled: ‘Let them be’. I was with the NTA until I graduated from secondary school.

After leaving secondary school, I decided to continue with what I was doing. I was a key factor in the rested Television Festival (Telefest). I also took part in one of the most celebrated kiddies drama: ‘Tales by moonlight’. I can remember vividly that one of the producers advised me to further my education, which was why I went to the TV College and obtained a diploma in television production. While at NTA, I took part in one of the television’s best drama programmes, titled ‘Dila’.

While still at NTA, an independent television station called DITV, was launched and one of my superiors at NTA advised me to give it a try. I applied and based on my records, I got employed as a producer. I later came to understand that working with an organisation couldn’t sustain me as a family man. Therefore, I resigned from the station and began to pursue my career as an actor.

That was how I went into full time acting and the industry has been my major source of income.

 

 

Memorable moment as an actor

I can’t forget the recognition my late father gave to my profession. Whenever someone went to my father to seek assistance on issues that had to do with either top government officials or businessmen, he asked them to see me for immediate response to their problems. The confidence my father had in the impact of the profession superseded the confidence I had in it. And the good aspect of it is that, whenever we did as recommended by my late father, we were victorious.

It made me understand that it is not the amount of wealth that one accumulates in a society that matters, but the recognition one has among the members. Being seen as someone who has that recognition by no other person than my father will remain my most memorable experience in this life.

Secondly, another memorable moment as an actor was when the former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo singled me out for recognition. It happened when all Kannywood practitioners were gathered at the Villa, and after everyone had introduced themselves, the vice president asked “where is that man, Rikadawa”. I stood up and he said, he could vividly remember my face in the Tales by Moonlight drama. I was taken aback, because I never knew what we did in those years. People still remember them. That singular moment taught me to continue doing what I was doing because people value what we do as actors.

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Views on the Hausa entertainment industry

The Hausa entertainment industry, especially Kannywood has come a long way. I must confess that there has been remarkable achievement in the sector, but there is also a need to do more.

It is time for all of us in the industry to take what we do as a profession and not a hobby. I took part in Tales by Moonlight, Magana Jari (English version), Adventure of Waziri and many other TV dramas. I have been in the sector for quite a reasonable time.

I always say this; let us get more knowledge to boost our profession. The world is changing and I won’t relent on this call. You can bear me witness that people like Rahama Sadau and Ali Nuhu are where they are today because they are educated.

 

Similarities between Nollywood and Kannywood

You see, to people like us who started this business a long time ago, it was due to our interest in drama. But gradually, things started to take shape and metamorphose into something different.  What I mean by something different is that, people started focusing on financial considerations. People now earn through what they are doing.

In context; Kannywood and Nollywood are the same, but in content, they are different. I was a cast in Stephanie Okereke’s movie titled: ‘Dry’. I am in the TV series on Amazon titled: ‘Beyond the Veil’. I have acted in several Nollywood and Kannywood movies.  I believe that has given me the right to say something on both.

It is unfortunate that Kannywood lacks sponsors due to poor storylines and exposure of the practitioners.  If people do not invest in Kannywood, it will take a longer time for the Hausa entertainment industry to get to where it wants.

What the industry needs are well-articulated stories that will speak to the world and not scripts that speak to only Hausa people. Lack of good stories is what relegated the industry to YouTube.

 

Secret of your success

I don’t think I have any secret as an actor. However, what I usually do is, I don’t go to set without knowing what the storyline of the movie entails. Even if I have only a few scenes to play, I make sure that I go through the entire movie concept because I have a name, culture and  religion to protect. Therefore, if I have any secret, perhaps that would be it.

My advocacy for practitioners to get educated will always be my signature, and I won’t stop telling them to get educated.