How Kannywood fared in 2010

NOTABLE EXITS The year 2010 started off with a tragedy in Kannywood with the death of pioneer actress, Hauwa Ali Dodo popularly called Biba Problem. She died in a car crash on Friday, January  1, 2010, at Saminaka town on her way back to Kano from Jos. At 35, Biba Problem was the longest serving […]

NOTABLE EXITS

The year 2010 started off with a tragedy in Kannywood with the death of pioneer actress, Hauwa Ali Dodo popularly called Biba Problem. She died in a car crash on Friday, January  1, 2010, at Saminaka town on her way back to Kano from Jos.

At 35, Biba Problem was the longest serving actress in the industry. She never looked back since her debut in the film, Ki Yarda dani. She was gifted with spontaneous acting skills and featured in many high grossing films. Some of them included, Sangaya, Daskin Da Ridi, Buri, Gaskya Dokin Karfe and  Na Gari to mention a few.

Barely two months after the industry experienced yet another shocker, this time the death of a film producer, actor and director, Zilkifilu Mohammed, better known as Zik. He died on Thursday, February 18, after a long battle with kidney related disease at a private hospital at Rijiyar Zaki Quarters in Kano.

Until his death, Zik was a lecturer at the Federal Collage of Education (Technical) Bicci. He will be remembered for his simplicity and generosity.

Days after, another actress, Safiya Ahmed, also died after a prolonged ailment on Friday, February 26, 2010. Though a relatively new face in the industry, Safiya’s spirit will abide through films like, Fargaba, Zaman Wakfi and Jangali.

Finally, the death of Amina Garba aka Mama Dumba on Sunday, 21st November made 2010 a bleak year for the industry. Amina died of heart related disease.

And the wedding bells tolled too

There were some high profile weddings in the industry starting with singer Saqir Layayyo marrying Rashida Abubakar on Sunday, 17th January of the year under review. Abbas Sadik followed suit with his wedding to Samira Sabi’u, on Friday, 5th February

But perhaps the standout wedding of the year was that of Abba Al-Mustapha (Abba Ruda) who married Fati Mamman Shuwa on Thursday, June 10, 2010. The glamorous wedding lasted five days with different events. Notable among the events are Mothers’ Night held at Royal Tropicana Hotel and a dinner party tagged, White Night.

Other activities included Qur’anic recitation and walima while the wedding fatiha took place at the farm house of the bride’s father along Kwanar Dawaki way with a dowry of 12 gold coins estimated at N380,000.

Another celebrated wedding was the long awaited wedding ceremony of Saratu Gidado, best known as Daso. She finally married Alhaji Madaki after her much talked about wedding to a faceless Arabian, Abduljammal failed to come through.

Zainab Raga’s silent wedding also took place within the year. It was held at her Kaduna family house.

Barely a month before Mama Dumba, died she had also settled in matrimony on Sunday, October 31.

Awards

A number of awards were given out by different organisations in recognition of the roles played by the members of the industry within the year. Notable among them is the Staff in Movies Award (SIMA) award. During the award ceremony, Zainab Idris emerged best actress of the year while Ibrahim Maishunku took the male prize.

 

Festivities

Celebration of Kannywood at 20 and the 15th Iyantama Multimedia festival were two major festivities that took place during the year. The 20th anniversary celebrations organised by the Pioneers Forum comprised series of events which kicked off on the 10th of December lasting through to the 16th.

Iyantama Multimedia earlier on organized its 15th anniversary celebration and award ceremony and part of the event was presentations of awards to journalists and others the company deemed worthy of recognition.

The United State Embassy also held a week long film festival for film makers in the industry.

Scandals

The major scandal within the year under review was that involving the Director General Kano State Films Censorship Board, Malam Abubakar Rabo Abdulkarim. Rabo was allegedly caught in a compromising situation with a girl under 18. The incident occurred along Maiduguri Road in Kano metropolis, Sunday, 22nd August.

Eyewitnesses said Rabo was with the girl quite late in the night in his car when a police patrol approached. The DG zoomed off and knocked down a motorcyclist while trying to evade the police.

The incident was the biggest scandal in the industry since the Hiyana saga in 2007.