I am not arrogant – Nafisa Abdullahi

Nafisa Abdullahi is an A-list Kannywood actress who has starred in many movies. Recently, she was in London to receive the Outstanding Actress Award by the African Film Awards (AFA). Weekend Magazine  had a few minutes chat with the actress at a reception for this year’s AFA recipients. She spoke on how she felt winning […]

Nafisa Abdullahi is an A-list Kannywood actress who has starred in many movies. Recently, she was in London to receive the Outstanding Actress Award by the African Film Awards (AFA). Weekend Magazine  had a few minutes chat with the actress at a reception for this year’s AFA recipients. She spoke on how she felt winning the AFA award, why some people think she is arrogant or rude and her relationship with fellow actresses and actors in Kannywood. Excerpts.

 

Weekend Magazine: How do you feel winning AFA award?

Nafisa Abdullahi: I’m very proud to be part of this African Film Awards that is taking place here in London and I hope I can be part of it again and again because it’s a very, very big achievement for me.

WM: Aspiring actresses and a lot of young girls look up to you as their role model. What advice do you have for them?

Abdullahi: Talking about young girls who look up to me (as a role model), I would advise them to be true to themselves. They should have faith; they should keep in mind that you don’t go places if you are not dedicated to what you do or what you want to do. 

WM: Many people outside your industry perceive some of you (actors and actress) as being arrogant and full of airs… and you are classed as one of them. What would you say about that?

Abdullahi: First of all, from what you saw the first time we met downstairs, was I rude? 

WM: Not one bit! But it was too short a time to judge you.

Abdullahi: No! No! It’s not (too short)! You can judge a person the first moment you see that person. So from the first moment you saw me, you just said I’m not arrogant…! 

WM: You looked humble, unlike your portrayal in the media.

Abdullahi: (Looking excited) Exactly! I get a lot of these types of questions… people asking me about being rude or arrogant. Well, sometimes a lot of people, when they meet you, they talk to you and you answer. But you could be in a mood that you don’t want to talk, or you could be going through something (emotional). I think that’s what makes them think that, may be you are rude. I’m not actually rude. 

WM: You want to say that it’s just a perception that people think you’re rude or arrogant?

Abdullahi: Yes, it’s a perception, it’s not a reality. It’s a guess. 

WM: Another issue portrayed in the media is that there is no camaraderie or cooperation amongst you actresses, unlike your male counterparts; that you are always fighting one another and that most of you are not in good terms with one another.

Abdullahi: I don’t think that is true because, er… let me speak for myself. I don’t fight with any actor or actress. I have never fought with any of them, and I believe – although I don’t know about some actors or actresses – but for me, I’m fine with everybody. 

WM: It is also said you are not in good terms with Rahama Sadau, the actress who was expelled from the Kannywood industry, and that you don’t see eye to eye with her. How true is that?

Abdullahi: Wow! But we see eye to eye! Why won’t we see eye to eye? And she is my junior sister. We are from the same company, so why should we have problems with each other? But where do you hear all these? 

WM: These things are being projected in the social media and on the grapevine! I’m not making them up!

Abdullahi: Although I cannot say that I haven’t heard them before, but like I was saying, it’s not true. 

WM: Are you saying that all is well with everyone in the industry?

Abdullahi: Yes, all is well. In fact, all is so well between Rahama Sadau and I.  

WM: What would you say about the new trend in Kannywood whereby producers pick up an unknown actress from nowhere and give them lead roles in big movies, thus making them big stars overnight at the expense of established stars like you who rose through thick and thin to build your reputation and stardom?

Abdullahi: I don’t want to answer that question. I don’t answer questions that I’m not comfortable with because they could affect me or implicate me in the future. 

WM: What message would you like to send to your teeming fans and followers?

Abdullahi: Like I said earlier, they should stay true to themselves, believe in themselves, believe they can do (anything) or go anywhere they want as long as they are willing to be true (to themselves).