Why I relocated to Kaduna State – Abubakar Sani
Abubakar Sani is one of such persons. He relocated to Kaduna shortly after the rancour between the Kano State Censorship Board (KSCB), the body charged with the responsibility of regulating films and related matters, escalated. However, despite his relocation to Kaduna, Abubakar Sani still believes that the problems faced by filmmakers are just a part […]
Abubakar Sani is one of such persons. He relocated to Kaduna shortly after the rancour between the Kano State Censorship Board (KSCB), the body charged with the responsibility of regulating films and related matters, escalated. However, despite his relocation to Kaduna, Abubakar Sani still believes that the problems faced by filmmakers are just a part of life experience which is anticipated in every profession.
“Yes! I relocated to Kaduna in search of a more conducive atmosphere to operate because the environment here in Kano has become so unfriendly for us at a point and Alhamdullilah I am better off out there. But you may be surprised to know that while a lot of people from both within and outside the industry blame the censorship board for the rules and regulations it put in place, I don’t see it as a big deal because there is a solution to any problem and relocating to other places, I think, is the best solution for those of us who feel the environment was no longer conducive. So it is just one of those things in life and I believe it is a matter of time. Time heals and the rancour will all be over some day. My only problem with the board is that it over blows every little mistake we make”.
He also said within the short time he had been domiciled in Kaduna, he had been able to achieve much more than he did all the years he had been in Kano. And, perhaps in appreciation of the hospitality he has been enjoying, he said he was dedicating himself to marketing the second term ambition of Governor Muhammad Namadi Sambo in a way never previously witnessed.
“I said filmmaking is better off in Kaduna because the atmosphere is more conducive and more hospitable to me and others operating there. We have achieved what we did not achieve all those years in Kano and above all, our minds are more at peace down there knowing that not just the fans but even the state’s authorities appreciate our talents. In fact, this is why I have decided to help the Kaduna state governor with his campaign for a second term come 2011. I promise a masterpiece aimed at selling the governor. I will do it in a way it has never been done”.
Those who knew Abubakar Sani in the industry knew him with Hamisu Lamido Iyantama. At one time, he was even nicknamed Abubakar Iyantama. The musician said indeed his time with Iyantama marked a turning point in his career in Kannywood.
“After my secondary education”, he said, “I started a small business selling materials at Kwari market and, since I had been nursing the dream of becoming a musician, I at almost the same time started practicing even though my very early songs were not made public. My first song, I can still remember, was titled, Taho zo Gimbiya. It was when I developed more interest in music that I abandoned trading and joined a music studio, Tauraruwa.
“After some time in Tauraruwa, I switched to Iyantama Multimedia and that was where I really made a breakthrough. I really learned and did a lot at Iyantama. From there I and Adam Zango established an independent musical studio named Crown Studio. Presently, I operate my own studio named Abubakar Sani CD Sound Studio in Kaduna. It is up to standard with modern gadgets for music and film productions”.
It was also from Iyantama that Abubakar got tutelage in film production: “As I earlier said, it was my stay at Iyantama Multimedia that really exposed me to the real world of music and film production and ever since, I have been progressing in the industry. Presently, I produce songs for companies and politicians apart from films, so praise be to Allah”.
Responding to criticism that the Hausa music of today is qualitatively and didactically inferior to traditional Hausa music, Abubakar said he believed that their songs were only a reflection of what obtained in the society.
“You see, it is just that people don’t want to appreciate what we are doing; if not they should just look back and compare all other aspects of life in the past and what obtains now. Clearly it will be seen that there is gross difference. Just take a look at the clothes used in the past; are they the same with what we wear today? Likewise, the cars we use, the houses we live in, even the type of food we eat; are they the same with what generations before us used? If people will make such considerations, definitely we will be appreciated.
“More so, people should also appreciate that we still use Hausa language in our songs and films. For instance, take a look at Nollywood films: they are mostly produced in English instead of the indigenous languages. So I think, no matter what, the Hausa film and music industry shouldn’t be rated so low in its performance”, he said.