Why I jumped into Kannywood – Zack Amata

Film producer Zack Amata is a renowned personality in Nigeria’s film industry. He starred in the hit TV series, ‘Behind the Clouds,’ and also featured in the celebrated ‘Black November,’ a film by his son, Jeta Amata. He tells Weekend Magazine why he is now in Kannywood, among other issues.   Weekend Magazine: You are […]

Film producer Zack Amata is a renowned personality in Nigeria’s film industry. He starred in the hit TV series, ‘Behind the Clouds,’ and also featured in the celebrated ‘Black November,’ a film by his son, Jeta Amata. He tells Weekend Magazine why he is now in Kannywood, among other issues.

 

Weekend Magazine: You are one of the pioneers of Nollywood, how has the journey been so far?

Zack Amata: No, I am not a pioneer of Nollywood, I know I have acted in early films, but I think Nollywood came from Igbo boys. However, I have acted in a lot of TV dramas.

WM: Your fans have not seen you acting for a while. What’s the reason?

Amata: I still act some films but I think I am concentrating more on producing films that will teach, inspire and motivate people. In fact, our project now, is to use film to promote peace and build support for peace in Nigeria.

WM: You are the Chairman board of trustee, Centre for Change and Community Development. What is it about?

Amata: We use film and television production to promote peace and to fight ignorance and poverty. There is a lot of poverty in the country, and ignorance leads to poverty. If you go to the Bible, Hosea chapter 4 verse 6 says, “My people perished because of lack of knowledge.”

Also, if you go to the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, it says “Look for knowledge, search for knowledge, even if you have to trek to China to get that knowledge.”  We are trying to use our films to help people get knowledge that will help to improve the society. That is all about Centre for Change.

WM: What films has the Centre produced?

Amata: We did ‘Born free,’ ‘Zuwaira’ and ‘Zabina.’ Zabina actually has two parts. We shot part two in Sokoto because the Sokoto people said they want it in their Sakkwatanci (a version of Hausa local to Sokoto). There was also ‘Huraira’ and ‘Farar Takarda.’

WM: It seems you are now into Kannywood movies?

Amata: I have stayed a lot in the north. Immediately I finished my Master’s degree, my supervisor asked me to go and lecture in University of Jos. I think I am very, very comfortable producing films in Hausa. Zabina was in Hausa. When I did public enlightenment dramas for Obasanjo and Atiku in 2002 or 2003, it was in Hausa also.

WM: You recently launched a campaign, Kannywood film for peace. What is this program all about?

Amata:  Our objective with the campaign is to train young filmmakers and young people coming up in film industry. Instead of them focusing only on the commercial aspects, what we are trying to train them and equip them with, is to tell stories that will promote peace between Muslim and Christians. Stories that will promote peace between indigenes and non-indigenes in different parts of this country and promote peace with herdsmen and farmers, and promote peace of different levels.

WM: What are challenges have you had to deal with?

Amata: Funding is our biggest challenge so far. Another challenge is that the stories have to be in line with sharia. We have made sure we get stories which when shown to Muslims, will say ‘yes that is proper Islam and is still preaching peace.’ That is why I quote the Hadith on peace that says, ‘if you invent information to promote peace, it is not a lie.’

WM: Do get any funding or government support?

Amata: Fund? No, government has not given us anything. The closet that they have come to, is that of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution. You know that is a federal government Institute and they are mandated to build peace and promote peace across Nigeria and Africa. So, what we did was that, we approached the Institute and invited them to collaborate with us on our project. We specifically told them that it is for now, because of the economic nature of the country. We just wanted technical partnership under the able leadership of Dr Bakut Tswah Bakut.

WM: Sir, the way I see you quoting verses without having the Qur’an in your possession, it seems you are a Muslim. Are you? 

Amata: I am a Christian Muslim, yes, people don’t like hearing about it, but I am a Christian Muslim. Because the Torah and the Injil came, after those came then the Quran. Allah told the Prophet Mohammed, that there are things in that Torah and Injil that are still relevant even today.

WM: What about family?

Amata: Yes, now I have my wife. Toward the end of last year I divorced 2 wives. Yes ‘na saki Saratu da aure,’ and I have five children – two men, two boys and one girl.

WM: Any message to your fans?

Amata: The message I have is especially for the Hausa-speaking people to look out for Gasar Iyali TV. There was a program that we produced, ‘Dadin Kowa’ which people like very much. It used to be on Star Times, but now we are going to get our own television channel call Gasar Iyali TV which you can also watch on your android phone.