My studio’s closure, unrelated to registration – Danja

Sani Danja has claimed he did all the necessary paper work before opening his photo studio. So why was it shut down?

Kano State Censorship Board has shut down a photo studio in Kano State belonging to popular actor, singer, and film producer Sani Musa Danja.

The photo studio, situated at Hospital Road, is said to have been opened alongside other business outlets belonging to artists. Sources close to Danja revealed that the shop was newly opened after the fulfilment of all requirements by law. But just as business started picking up, the state censorship board shut it down alleging failure to register it.

However, many view the closure of the photo studio as politically motivated by the ruling state government over the artist’s romance with the opposition party in the state.

According to one of the artist’s fans, Mustapha Bangis, “the closure of the studio is purely political. Sani knows he is not in the good books of the state government and I am sure he wouldn’t be so callous as to open a shop with investment worth millions of naira without following due process. Besides, since the establishment of Kano Censorship Board in 2001, the board has never shutdown a photo studio. This shows that they have their selected targets of which Sani is one.”

Similarly, Sani Danja also revealed that the closure was not in any way related to his registration as claimed by the board. He added that, he had ensured that all necessary paper work was done and completed before he opened the studio.

Moreover, the recent move by the state government on some Kannywood members has renewed the fear harboured by some who did not support the present government.

A fan of the industry, Ali Classic, said it was just the beginning.

“Kannywood should expect worse attacks, especially on those who have pitched tents with Kwankwaso or Abba Gida-Gida. They are bent on making things difficult for this category of practitioners in Kannywood,” Classic said.

It would be recalled that the state government has arrested and arraigned several musicians in the state, an action described by many as political vendetta on the opposition party.

All attempts made by our reporter to get Kano State Censorship Board boss, Malam Isma’ila Afakalla, to comment on the issue proved abortive as he failed to answer several calls put through to him.