Dan Ibro: Exit of Kannywood^s comedy icon

The comedian has on several occasions refuted the stories saying “Whoever says I am dead say to them that I have resurrected.”
However, when the rumours of his death resurfaced on social media early Wednesday morning; many thought it was the same routine rumours that have become normal routine in the late artist’s life.
But when his manager Malam Auwal Dare confirmed the death the whole movie industry was shaken. Producers and artistes from Kaduna, Kano, Jos and Abuja took to their various social media accounts condoling themselves over the loss and most of them abandoned what they were doing and travelled to the late Ibro’s hometown to pay their respect to the industry’s comedy icon.

Biography:
Dan Ibro was born in 1971, and went to Danlasan Primary School from where he was admitted into Government Teachers College, Wudil.
Late Rabilu later joined the Nigerian Prison service in 1991. He started his acting carrier when he was still in the services of the Prison Service and after eight years in the service, the late comedian resigned after reaching the rank of an Inspector.
With his role in the home video comedy ‘Jahilci yafi Hauka’ he proved himself to be one of the outstanding comedians in the Hausa home videos industry.
The comedian was the pioneer of what became known in the Hausa movie industry as ‘Camama’ which is purely comic home video. His popularity became so strong that, most Hausa movie marketers became so attached to the actor for rapid gain in their movies.
In 2008, the comedian along with his friend and co-actor Lawal Kaura were arrested and sentenced to four months imprisonment for allegedly operating an unlincensed film production company and shooting a film that showed nudity and immoral acts in contravention of the Kano State Censorship laws by Chief Magistrate Muktar Ahmed.
It could be recalled that the duo were accused and arraigned on a two count charge before the court for operating an unregistered film production company known as Ibro Film Production without registration and exposing nudity and immoral scenes in a film called Ibro Aluko.
The film, according to the censorship lawyers, contravened section 97 of the state censorship laws. The two actors were sentenced to two months imprisonment on the first charge of producing a film with immoral scene without an option of a fine, and another two-months imprisonment for operating a film production firm without registration, the second carried an option of N10,000.
Dan Ibro became the second Hausa film star that was sentenced to prison since the introduction of stiff regulations governing film production in Kano State after the leaked Maryam Hiyana sex video saga.
Dan Ibro became silent after the court incident even though he had won an appeal via which the first verdict was quashed and a fresh case was said to be instituted; he avoided the movie industry for some time. In one of his interviews when asked about his impending court case Ibro said, “What case? Do they have a case? They don’t. It is only that they wanted to humiliate some innocent people trying to make a decent living that is all. Let them understand that God is more powerful than they are, if they thought they can stop me from earning a lawful living then they are misled. I have acquired many things, houses, cars, investments and plots beyond their imagination. God has destined it that I will be rich and no one can stop me.”
After some time, the comedian returned with much vigour. He succeeded in changing the Hausa movie focus to what is obtainable in the industry now. When he was asked why he decided to shift from what he was known for he said, “It is not as if I have changed style. The movie industry is dynamic, so are the artistes. Therefore, if there are changes in vogue in the industry, who am I to say that I will hold on to the obsolete ways. However, I always see myself as a lucky man that the industry has been dealing with for all these years and I thank God for that.
One thing I know for sure is that I will either continue to wax stronger in the Hausa movie industry till I get old or die, or I will continue until someone rises up to take over from me. These are what I expect from the industry.”
When asked about his bad experience in the movie industry, he said. “What I will never forget in my life is when I was arrested and taken to court without having committed any offence. I could remember I felt very sick that people thought I wouldn’t make it, but with God’s infinite favours, I recovered and it was during that period the then director Kano State censorship board Abubakar Rabo gave the order that I should be arrested and prosecuted. This injustice meted out on me by Rabo and his allies will forever be in my memory and I will not forgive the inhumanity done me by Rabo, not in this world.”

His death
According to his manager Malam Auwal Dare; late Rabilu fell ill hit by the sickness when he was in Kebbi State for a campaign tour of one of his political ally.
“We had to abandon the campaign tour and come back home when he complained that he wasn’t feeling fine. After two days, he was taken to India where he was diagnosed with Kidney problem. He returned to Nigeria after spending few days in the Indian hospital and after his return he seemed to have got better only to fall ill again after a few days of his return. We rushed him to a private hospital in Kano where he died in the early hours of Wednesday 10th December 2014,” narrated Malam Auwal Dare.
Before his death, he was a board member of the Kano State’s Censorship board and he was also a farmer as well as a transporter. During his acting carrier he had featured in movies  alongside Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh (Ukwa) in the movie  ‘Maja’ , Oga Abuja’ alongside John Okafor and Hassana da Hussaina where he featured alongside Patience Uzokwor.
The popular comedian died at the age of 43 living behind his father, mother, four wives and 17 children. Late Ibro has since been buried in his home town Danlasan in Warawa Local Government of Kano State.

Colleague’s reaction to his death Mansur Kwaram:
“I helped him take his bath and together with his father and his mother we put him to bed. I wanted to leave but he asked me to stay with him. He asked me to call one of the producers he had already agreed to work with. I did that and he asked me to return the producer’s money to him telling him that he was very sick and he couldn’t do the job. I was with him till late evening when I took my leave after he had asked me to pray for him. I was so sober when I received the news of Ibro’s death; we have lost an Icon in the industry may Allah grant his soul and eternal peace amen.”

Mika’il Bin-Hassan (Gidigo):  “The industry will never be the same again, surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return. I was in Abuja when the news of his death reached me. I can only pray for the repose of his soul, Rabilu has been dear to many of us that have closely worked with him.”

Hassan Giggs:
“We have lost an icon. Ibro has been a good colleague to all of us.
Kannywood and his family love him, but God loves him more; may Allah forgive all his sins and reward him with Aljannatul Firdausi amen.”
Hadiza Gabon: “We met in Lagos when we went for an APC-sponsored advert on voter registration. Late Ibro is the best among all of us; he is like a father, brother and a friend to me. I love him a lot and we lost a great mentor.
May his soul rest in peace amen.”