Ummi Rahab is one of the fastest growing Kannywood actresses. The actress was recently in a social media war of sorts with her guardian Adam A. Zango. In this interview, she opened up on the incident, among other issues.
Who is Ummi Rahab?
My real name is Rahab Saleh Ahmed known in Kannywood as Ummi Rahab. I was born in Saudi Arabia before moving to Nigeria to reunite with my relatives at the age of 7. I did all my conventional studies in Kano and I joined the Hausa film making industry at the age of 12, my first film was ‘Takwara Ummi’.
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When my mother insisted that I further my studies, I stopped acting and concentrated on my studies. That was why I left the industry for some years, only to return to film making this year (2021).
What’s your relationship with Kannywood actor Adam A Zango?
Actually, Adam Zango is like a father to me, and despite all that has happened, I still consider him as a father. He had been so helpful; he was instrumental in grooming me to become an actress.
Irrespective of what had happened between us recently, I still respect him as a guardian and a mentor. However, life continues. I have my life to live and goals to attain. I will continue to be grateful to him for making me discover my personality.
So, can we say all is well between Ummi and A Zango?
I have made my stand clear already. I told you he is like a father to me and that he continues to be. Moreover, he has a life to live just like I do. The respect is still there, but our paths are different now; we have different goals to pursue.
Is it true he removed you from his film?
Yes, he did, but that was entirely something different. He has the right to pick the people he wants to work with, just as the cast have the right to accept or decline depending on the circumstances at hand.
Indeed, I was a cast member in A. Zango’s film ‘Farin Wata Sha Kallo’ being aired on YouTube and I was dropped for reasons best known to the producers. However, that doesn’t mean I have stopped being an actress. I have other offers to pick from and life goes on.
Do you have any regrets about being removed from the film ‘Farin WataSha Kallo’?
No, not at all; why should I regret it? In the first place, I didn’t lobby to be cast and I didn’t ask to be removed as well, so I have no regret being removed from the film. Like I said earlier, that doesn’t stop me from being an actress.
Was there a crisis between you and Adam Zango?
If you follow the social media, I’m sure you will understand what has been happening. I didn’t want to talk about it initially, but what started as a family misunderstanding broke out in the public domain. I didn’t want to say anything and God in his infinite mercies brought in people that I didn’t even know to stand for me throughout the period it became a public topic.
The issue gradually became so complicated that people of high esteem within and outside the film industry became involved.
That was what made me make some posts and comments on social media and I didn’t make the comments to discredit or make a joke of anyone.
Is it true that you confided in one of your friends that A. Zango was jealous?
Yes, I did confide in some of my close friends that I was having issues with Adam Zango because I had decided to date other young men and perhaps that was why he was jealous.
A Zango tried to stop me, but when I let him know that I have a life to live and he is just like a father to me, he became agitated. When it became obvious to him that I am determined to live my life according to what I deemed as fit for me religiously and culturally, he did what he did.
He claimed you have chosen to live a wayward life. Is that true?
No, it isn’t true. The fact is that I disagreed with marrying him for the fact that he was like a father to me. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less! I tried to explain the circumstances to him; the public can also attest to the fact that he is fond of marrying young girls he worked with. I am different. I was with him when I was a small girl to this level, and he indeed played the role of a father in my life. How then can I marry him? No, I can’t do that.
On the issue of being wayward, the public knows that A. Zango has never been an advocate of tradition or religious values. An incident occurred while I was a cast member in his film; he made me wear a costume that many of my fans condemned for being revealing. That costume had generated a lot of tension to the extent that my relatives in Kano threatened to forbid me from acting if I dared agree to wear such clothes again.
Now, tell me if such a person can be regarded as a custodian of good moral or integrity? Anyway, time will surely tell who is right or wrong in the whole drama.
We parted ways not because I was wayward, he removed me from his film because he was just jealous, that was simply the reason.
Is it true that you have dragged many people into your crisis?
It is not true; many of my fans felt that I was wronged and they took it upon themselves to protect me against the betrayal and allegation labelled against me by those that felt I have wronged A Zango for distancing myself from him.
This was what dragged many people from within and outside the industry into the matter. They waded in to make peace and protect who they wanted to support, that was how the issue became a trending matter and people erroneously thought I dragged some people into it.