How Kannywood fared in 2009
ARRESTS AND PERSECUTIONS Kano is known to be the seat of the industry but during the year 2009, more films seemed to emanate from states like Kaduna, Plateau and the FCT. This is not unconnected to the fact that many filmmakers vacated Kano in search of a more conducive atmosphere to operate. Kano state Censorship […]
ARRESTS AND PERSECUTIONS
Kano is known to be the seat of the industry but during the year 2009, more films seemed to emanate from states like Kaduna, Plateau and the FCT. This is not unconnected to the fact that many filmmakers vacated Kano in search of a more conducive atmosphere to operate. Kano state Censorship Board enacted laws that restricted the practice of film makers. Some of them were arrested and jailed for violations of these laws.
One of them was popular actor and producer, Hamisu Lamido Iyan Tama. He was charged for operating a film company, Iyan-Tama Multimedia, without registration and for releasing a film “Tsintsiya” which was not censored by the state censorship board by a mobile court in charge of matters of the board.
The mobile court presided over by Chief Magistrate Mukhtari Ahmed tried and sentenced Iyan Tama to one year imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine on the first charge and three months imprisonment on the second charge with N300,000 fine.
The case raised a lot of controversy, leading to a retrial ordered by a Kano high court on an appeal filed before it by counsel to Iyan Tama, Barrister Sulaiman Abdulkadir. However, since the order, nothing more has been heard about the matter.
The fallout of the Iyan Tama case was the arrest and detention of a number of film makers and musicians in the state. Among those arrested was Rabilu Musa, a renowned Hausa comedian popularly called Dan Ibro. He was accused of releasing an uncensored video clip. The clip, Mamar, was said to expose nudity. He was also tried by the mobile court handling matters of the board and sentenced to prison, where he fell ill and had to spend part of his jail term in hospital.
Others arrested include Aminu Ladan Ala, a musician. Ala was charged for releasing a song titled, “Hasbunallahu” on 1/3/2009 for public consumption without being censored by the board. He was detained for three days before the court granted him bail.
Bashir Dandago and Kabiru Maulana, both musicians were also apprehended and remanded in prison for days pending continuation of hearing into the matter of alleged breach of the censorship law. They were charged for releasing an uncensored album titled, “Tsangayar Kura”
While a number of film makers felt the Kano State Censorship Board was aggressive and hostile, others felt comfortable with the activities of the board and decided to adhere to the board’s rules and regulations. They chose to remain and operate in the state.
The relocation of film activities outside Kano State resulted in proliferation of films from places like Abuja, Jos and Kaduna. This, however, is not to say new films were no longer produced in Kano by those filmmakers that decided to continue operating in the state.
On its part, the Censorship Board as its Director General, Malam Abubakar Rabo Abdulkarim always emphasized, strived to ensure filmmaking in the state is in line with provisions of Hausa and Islamic cultures.
Apart from punishing erring members of the industry, the board also ensured adherence to filmmaking laws in the state, the board also organized workshops and held meetings with filmmakers. And towards the end of 2009, the board gave out funds to filmmakers who complied with its guidelines.
Some film producers decided eventually to withdraw their law suits against the board. Several months later, however, Motion Picture Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) dragged the board to a shariah court, demanding legal redress over comments attributed to the board’s director.
Sunday Trust gathered that, the association decided to sue Rabo over his utterances during a radio programme which the filmmakers consider insulting to their personalities and the association as a whole. Sources said the DG in the radio programme described filmmakers as lesbians and homosexuals, claiming he has evidence to prove his assertion. He was not in court to answer charges proffered against him.
Notable scandal
Notable among the scandals that ensued in 2009 is the multimillion naira affair involving Hausa film stars, Ummi Ibrahim popularly known as Zee Zee. She was detained by the police for three days in August on accusation of breach of trust having abandoned her Dubai based boyfriend, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu Usman despite the millions of Naira and fleet of cars he presented to her as gifts when the going was good. Her estranged lover demanded she returned all his numerous gift since she was no longer interested in the relationship.
Sunday Trust gathered that since Ummi started the relationship, Usman took over her upkeep apart from the expensive and unusual gifts he had been showering on her. Within one year of their relationship, he gave her five cars valued at over N11m, millions of naira remitted for her upkeep and also bought her a house at Masallacin Murtala, Hausawa Quarters in Kano city, with the belief they were going to get married. A source said his claims amounted to N20 million.
New trends
There was a massive influx of young talents into the industry, many of them interested in making a career out of the film business. There was also a shift in themes from the usual love stories to a critical look at society with films tackling issues of drug abuse among women in purdah and other societal ills. There was also a marked improvement in facilities used in film productions.
Tragedy
Famous actress, Jamila Haruna died within the year. She died in a ghastly motor accident along Kaduna/ Abuja highway. The accident, in which many others were injured, occurred at Suleja. Before her death, Jamila led several famous filmmakers to join the PDP in reaction to the censorship crisis. She passed on while on her way to the party’s rally.
The deceased who died in her early forties was survived by four children, three females and a male.