Ibro Mai Rasuwa: The last (imaginary) movie of a commanding comedian

When the news of his death broke out on Wednesday,   December 10, 2014, due to complications arising from kidney-related disease, I initially took it lightly thinking that it was a dummy being sold to the general public to announce the release of a new film in which he mimicked a death or dying man. Tragically, […]

When the news of his death broke out on Wednesday,   December 10, 2014, due to complications arising from kidney-related disease, I initially took it lightly thinking that it was a dummy being sold to the general public to announce the release of a new film in which he mimicked a death or dying man. Tragically, I was wrong! The power of death is so formidable that it could not allow our hugely talented and humorous Ibro to mimic it even if it were to be his last acting role or film on earth.
The death of Ibro is painful, but what is more painful is the fact that, he died as someone who had to endure series of persecutions and jail terms simply because he had chosen to be a man of his own who could not be cajoled or intimidated to abandon or divert from a course he firmly and rightly believed to be in the best interest of the culture and civilization of his people!
In the name of carrying out the mandate of the Kano State Films, Videos Censorship Board and its affiliate mobile court in checkmating the perceived excesses of Kannywood movies, especially prior to the re-election of the current governor of Kano State, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, these self-styled custodians of Hausa/Islamic culture continued chasing, intimidating, hunting and hurting Ibro out of what seemed to be in envy of his rare talent and divine gift in promoting the original and unadulterated culture of his people through comedy. Of course, as a human, Ibro can never be 100 per cent perfect or free from certain flaws/shortcomings in same way that the Alhaji Rabo Abdulkareem-led Kano State Films/Videos Censorship Board and its affiliate mobile court can never be 100 percent perfect or free from certain flaws/shortcomings as well. So, why was he specifically singled out for prolonged maltreatment and denial of fair hearing in spite of his widely acknowledged massive contribution to the development and advancement of Hausa culture and civilization?
With the exception of few professors and PhD holders in Hausa literature/culture, and some distinguished writers/columnists and novelists, no one, I repeat, no one in post-independent Hausaland/Northern Nigeria aggressively and successfully promoted the Hausa culture and civilization in its purely traditional form within the West African sub region and even beyond than the way Ibro did!
In a befitting tribute to Ibro, Dr Carmen McCain (an American citizen living in Kano), who is a blogger and columnist in the Weekly Trust, and acted as “Baturiya” in Ibro’s “Ibro Ya Auri Baturiya” comical film, boldly brought out the strategic role of Kannywood (in which Ibro was a standout star) in promoting the attractiveness of Hausa culture and civilization globally when she strongly and correctly argued thus; “I often hear educated Northern Nigerian elites talking about how embarrassed they are by Hausa films and yet it was these very Hausa films (and also novels) that attracted me to learn Hausa. I am an American here in Kano because of film”.
Ibro also holds the enviable record of being the only actor who featured in more films than any other actor/actress in the history of Kannywood and in the process, featured, directed or produced many films that were 100 per cent Hausa/Islamic culture-compliant but without these so-called custodians of Hausa/Islamic culture commending talk less of recommending him for state or national honours award. But once he featured, directed or produced a film that appeared a bit liberal, they all rose up in total condemnation without giving a damn to his previous or other films that even they, silently acknowledged as good. It seemed what really mattered to them was to facilitate and see the downfall of Ibro by all means.
When he released the sensational Hausa musical video titled; “Marmar-Mamar” (featuring women dancing excitedly to an equally exciting kalangu music that is common and well-known in Hausa culture) few years ago, these anti-Ibro elements, using the instrumentality of the Kano State Films/Videos Censorship Board and its affiliate court, “happily” apprehended and jailed him for several months. Yet from the ancient times till today, Hausa women have been performing this kind of exciting kalangu dance publicly during wedding celebrations and other communal festivities without anyone raising an eye-brow. But because it was Ibro who did it, it became an offence!
While stars of the mainstream English film industry of Nigeria, popularly known as Nollywood are being nationally celebrated, decorated with state and national honours award and dining with high profile citizens of the country, our own (Northern Nigeria) most popular and accomplished star in Kannywood was, instead, unjustifiably condemned and sent to prison to dine with petty criminals by our own people. What an irony and a glaring injustice!
It is quite possible, that anti-Ibro elements may now be thinking that it is “mission accomplished” since their major target (Ibro) is gone.
But they should note, however, that we, his fans and millions of sympathizers world-wide will continue to cherish and defend his good works and good heart as someone who dedicated his life in doing some of the things that Islam enjoins its adherents to do; making people smile, laugh and happy through any talent or gift (comedy in Ibro’ case) that Allah (SWT) endowed one with! And this was what exactly what he kept doing, at times, even to the detriment of his health.
It was once speculated that for Ibro to produce a grade “A” comical film, he had to, sometimes, deliberately refuse  to eat or drink anything for several hours so as to look haggard, exhausted and hungry in order to suit the scripted story line. And when you added the average amount of energy he expends in several rounds of highly charged funny arguments and confrontations, in addition to a lot of running when being chased by a comical policeman or an aggressor in as many scenes making up a complete film, one will better appreciate the huge physical exertions that he had to undergo in the course of producing a real comical film that could generate so much laughter from us and give us so much joy as well.
Though most deaths in Kannywood were road-related, we still, cannot completely rule out the issue of prolonged or long term physical exertions in contributing to the death, at relatively young age, of Ibro’s colleagues in comedy such as Tsigai (who usually act as his wife), Kulu (Ibro’s closest disciple), Dan Wanzam (one of the pioneering comedians in Kannywood) and even the slightly elderly, Yautai (whom I regarded as the funniest of the lot). The baton has now been handed over to Chinnaka, Daushe, Dan Auta and Gatari; I tip Daushe though to fill the vacuum created in Kannywood’s world of comedy following the demise of Ibro because she appears to possess almost all the comical theatrics to blossom into a world class comedian in the nearest future.
The likes of Ali Nuhu, Sani Musa Danja, Safiya Musa, Fati Baffa Fagge (Bororoje), Rukayya Umar Santa (Dawayya) and Sameera Ahmed are seen by many followers of the Hausa film industry as the faces of Kannywood.
But I feel Ibro was the true face of Kannywood based on his tenacity and consistency in showcasing and advancing the cultural heritage of the ordinary Hausa man living in a typical Hausa communal setting and environment in the most exciting and entertaining ways possible.
His ardent admirers within Kannywood referred to him as “Sarkin Yan Wasan Hausa” (King of Kannywood) and they are absolutely right because his track record as a commanding comedian, trail-blazer, fearless leader, brilliant actor, excellent director, proficient producer, intelligent scriptwriter and first class entertainer in Kannywood are there for all to see and for historians to note!
Ibro, the way you entertained and made us happy while you were alive, may the all-forgiving and merciful Allah (SWT) also keep you eternally entertained and happy in your grave, on the Day of judgement and in the end, grant you and your late colleagues, Aljannatul Firdaus, ameen!!!
Zongre, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Yerima Bappa Sanda Road, Turaki “A” Ward, Jalingo, 08030830130, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>;