Nigerian actress Hadiza Aliyu, popularly known as Hadiza Gabon, is currently trending on social media with people commenting and asking questions on what they termed ‘unprofessional’ comments during her talk show. The successful Kannywood diva is gradually diversifying from acting to hosting a talk show with her now famous Gabon’s Room Talk Show.
The actress was recently dragged to court by one Bala Musa, a civil servant, for allegedly refusing to marry him after spending N396,000 on her, a claim she denied.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that early last year, the show started with Dandalin Hadiza Gabon. The first episode premiered on September 19, 2022 where Hadiza Gabon had a chat with one Sa’adatu Lawan.
She also had a chat with popular Kannywood singer, Daudau Kahutu Rarara.
During her chat with Rarara, she inquired about his relationship with his estranged friend Abdul Amart Maikwashewa whom he claimed was his boy.
Abdul Amart later graced the show and denied Rarara’s claim, saying from day one, he has been the producer using his own money.
Daily Trust Saturday had reported how web series movies are gradually taking over the Hausa films industry since after COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down cinemas across the world, and in return triggered a surge in online movie streaming.
During the show with Birniwa
While many Kannywood producers are trooping to web series, Hadiza Gabon opted for a talk show.
The episode that triggered comments from netizens was the one with musician El-mu’az Birniwa, where she asked him about his colleague Hannatu Bashir.
She said, “Every body is aware that she is your girl friend.”
Visibly angry, Birniwa said, “No, except if you want them to know now. If every body is aware, then I don’t need to talk about it here.”
Later in the chat, Birniwa said if he had known she was going to ask such questions, he would have rejected the invitation.
At the conclusion of the chat, Birniwa in what was like a revenge, acknowledged that the actress has been helping people with her philanthropic gestures which is well known, but asked her “Where are you getting your money from?”
She replied that she has her side businesses, which Allah has been blessing.
When he insisted on knowing the businesses, she said she was into fashion design, acting and also runs a company.
Not done with his enquiries, he went further to say that she is no longer in the industry as before, and he knows her shop in Kaduna, and people need to know the other side business she is doing with the company she mentioned.
Reacting, a lecturer with the Bauchi State University, Dr Furera Bagel, wrote on her Facebook page, “I think Hadiza Gabon is confused on what being a Talk show host is. She probably has been watching Mahdi Hassan’s Hard Talk or that Channels guy and wanted to fashion herself after their kind of journalism. But the problem is they are not holding a talk show with celebrities but interviews with mostly people in power who should be held accountable. Or perhaps she has watched the kinds of Jerry Springer show where people go willingly to wash their dirty linens in public. Problem is, I don’t think any of those celebrities on her show had signed for that. Haba, please! This is abusing and can cause confusion in a matrimony home!” she said referring to the chat with Birniwa.
Another writer, Na-Allah Mohammed Zagga, wrote “Hadiza Gabon’s interview style: “kowa yasan budurwar kace.” Everyone knows you’re going out with her. Wow! How can you ask a married person this kind of thoughtless question? Everyone? What if Zagga and others didn’t know about it? Is this an interview or a deposition, or an interrogation? Imagine Gabon is a married person and a TV interviewer tells her that ‘everyone knows that you’re going out with your producer’.
“Where is the sense of empathy in this kind of interview? What if her insinuations destroy the man’s marriage? Can a talk show be deemed a success if it ruins people’s lives or destroys their marriages? Excessive interrogation into a man’s private life instead of focusing on his successes or failures in the film industry is annoying. You must respect your guest’s right to privacy. You shouldn’t insist on hanging your guest on issues that have nothing to do with public interest.”
This is the first of its kind, though there are other shows going on within the Kannywood circle.
There is another show by popular Kannywood director, Kamal S. Alkala, called “Dandalin Fasaha”, and one by Mansurah Isah “Gwani na gwanaye”.
Another show that is on hiatus is ‘Mushakata’ by the veteran Ibrahim Mandawari.