Recent death of a Kannywood actress Ai’sha Idris Dankano has raised a lot of questions on the future of the fast rising movie industry’s commitment to its members both the living and the dead ones.
Fans believe that there was need for establishing a special remembrance day to eulogize the dead artists who had contributed to the development of the industry during their life time.
The fans have begun to ask questions on how hard it can be to forget people who had sacrificed their time, their talents and their wherewithal to make others smile.
According to an ardent fan of Kannywood Abba Ibrahim Hotoro, “The time is ripe for us to look back over the days, the weeks, the years, and also try to figure out where we have come from and where we are going to, the things we have done and the things we have left undone for aclue to who we are and who we are becoming. Most importantly, we need to also recognize those who were with us all through those processes.
“As a fan of Kannywood I feel sad when for all these years the industry has not introduce avenues to honour and remember those people that have contributed in making the industry what it is today,” Ibrahim said.
Artists lost by the industry such as Hauwa Ali Dodo popularly known as Biba problem who died on 1st January, 2010, in an auto crash along Saminaka road in Kaduna should not be forgotten so quick. The late artist with a large number of fans appeared in more than 100 movies and local television.
It could be recalled that, the industry also recorded another tragic exit of three of its members at a time; the members were Malam Kassim, Nura Mohammed and Ali Bala who met their sudden death near Zaria, along the Kano-Kaduna dual carriage way. Late Kassim was an actor; Nura Mohammed an artist while Ali Bala a cameraman.
To Abbas Auwal Kaita, it was unfair to allow the contributions of the late artists go in vain. According to him, the industry’s development history wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the contributions of late Ahmed S. Nuhu who had climbed through the ranks to establish himself as one of the best actors in the industry, adding that before Ahmed’s dead, the artist had won many awards and was one of the fans favourite.
He further stated that the exit of Hajiya Jamila Haruna also created a huge gap in the Hausa movie making business; the actress lost her life when she got involved in a car accident along Kano-Abuja way.
Another painful exit was that of popular Kannywood actress, Hafsat Sharada, popularly known as Mai Aya, the actress was the oldest female actress in the industry. She died at the age of 70.
“For the greater part of her life, Mai Aya dedicated all she had in educating the people and I strongly believe that such people’s death shouldn’t be allow to be forgotten just like that”.
Kano Chronicle observed that the industry in its 25th year of existence has lost over 20 members among them Balaraba Mohammed, Ahmed S. Nuhu, Hajiya Jamila Haruna, Hussaina Gombe (Tsigai), Shuaibu Dan Wanzam, Malam Kasim and Zilkifilu Muhammed.
Others are Nura Mohammed, Ali Bala, Maijidda Mohammed, Hamza Jos, Tijjani Ibrahim, Umar Katakore, Shuaibu Kulu, Amina Garba, Baffa Yautai, Hajiya Hassana, Hauwa Ali Dodo, Aisha Kaduna (Shamsiyya), Rabiu Maji Magani, Hajiya Karima, Kabiru Kabuwaya, Hafsat Sharada, Rabilu Musa Danlasan and Aisha Dan Kano.
In a few weeks to come the Hausa movie industry will be celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary as an entity, many are of the view that this is a great opportunity for the industry to show that the contribution of its falling heroes has not been in vain.
According to Public Relation Officer of Motion Pictures Practitioners association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) Balarabe Murtala Muhammed Bahru the association had been doing a lot to the families of its late members adding that it was not in the association culture to publicize such efforts.
He added that, the association virtually organized an annual special prayer session for the repose of the souls of its late members.
“I believe after the elections, the new executives of the association will come up with initiatives, if possible establish a day for the remembrance of our falling members as a way of showing gratitude to what they have done to this industry,” Bahru stated.
