Mixed reactions trail new Kannywood female association

The emergence of a new female association in Kannywood has generated debate among fans and practitioners in the industry as different perceptions have been attributed to its formation. Several incidents, in recent times, that were mostly centred on female practitioners, were said to be the main reasons behind the formation of the association. Kidnappers abduct […]

The emergence of a new female association in Kannywood has generated debate among fans and practitioners in the industry as different perceptions have been attributed to its formation.

Several incidents, in recent times, that were mostly centred on female practitioners, were said to be the main reasons behind the formation of the association.

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It would be recalled that in the last few years, many female artistes have been in the centre of different controversies. Female artistes were alleged to suffer discrimination and lack the support of their male counterparts.  Maryam Hiyana’s 2006 leaked sex tape was one of such controversial incidences, which some say was treated lackadaisically by the male artistes.

Incidences involving female artists like Sadiya Haruna, Maryam Booth’s nude leaked video, Rahama Sadau/Clasiq issue and the recent Safara’u issue, among others, have attracted the attention of female practitioners to look inward and support themselves in times of professional travails.

In October 2019, the first female association in Kannywood was formed. The all-female member association called Kannnywood Women Association of Nigeria (K-WAN) consists of actresses, producers, editors, screen writers, singers, directors, production managers, make-up artists and production designers, among others.

Daily Trust Saturday gathered that 12 women in the industry came together and agreed to form K-WAN to promote and protect women in the industry; the association has Hajiya Hauwa A. Bello popularly known as Hauwa Editor as its pioneer chairperson. The association was said to have been formed to promote, protect and provide opportunities for women in the industry, irrespective of their areas of professionalism.

On July 23, 2022, another female association was formed. A group of practicing and non-practicing female artistes came together to form Association of Kannywwod Female Artists (AKAFA). According to the association’s treasurer, Asma’u Sani, the association consists of only female artistes who have been practicing or had practiced in the Hausa film making industry. 

According to her, the main reason for the formation of the association is to foster unity and prosperity among female artistes in the industry.

Rashida Adamu Abdullahi Mai Sa’a emerged as the pioneer chairperson of the newly formed association with other artistes holding other positions.

The emergence of the new association has begun to generate a lot of conversation in the industry, as many are of the view that the formation of AKAFA was to tackle the activities of K-WAN while others were of the view that the formation is an aftermath of supremacy battle among some female artistes.

According to a Kannywood fan Mustapha Maigari, “the formation of AKAFA is more than what it seems to be”, adding that from the way and manner AKAFA was formed, there are questions that need to be answered. “Why now? And why were some key actresses missing during the inaugural event of the association?” asked Maigari.

For Hafsat Garba, another Kannywood fan, AKAFA is formed not for the screen business alone but for political reasons as well. According to her, the composition of the association members shows a group of female artistes with affiliation to politics. “Most of the members of AKAFA are either active members of a particular political party or have served as appointees in government,” she said.

However, the chairperson K-WAN, Hauwa Editor, said the formation of AKAFA was just another positive development in the entertainment industry. According to her, both AKAFA and K-WAN have different mandates and as such, there is nothing like a clash of interest. 

“AKAFA is purely dealing with female artistes alone, while K-WAN is dealing with every female practitioner in the film making industry. In fact, most of AKAFA members and some executives are true members of K-WAN. Therefore, we are not competing, we all have different mandates as associations with the zeal to protect female artistes in Kannywood,” said Hauwa Editor.