Kannywood: Rage over Safara’u’s comment

Iro Dan Musa, Kano

Kannywood film industry has recorded many controversies concerning artistes, censor’s board, the industry and so on. They include, but not limited to, that of late Rabilu Musa Ibro Vs Kano State Censorship Board; Maryam Hiyana’s leaked sex tape; Adam A Zango Vs Kano State Censorship Board; Sadiq Zazzabi Vs Kano Censorship Board; Maryam Booth leaked nude video; Rahma Sadau Vs Kannywood, among many others.

However, most of these controversies were either handled by the industry’s leadership or the regulatory body which is the Kano State Censorship Board.

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When actress Safiya Yusuf popularly known as Safara’u, was removed from the famous TV series Kwana Casa’in aired by Arewa24 due to a leaked nude video of the young actress, many had thought the resolution of the issue would follow the same pattern as previous ones, but what started like a simple mistake seems to have taken a different dimension.

Born on the 25th of June 2000, the 21-year-old actress was among upcoming artists making waves in the Hausa film making industry with her role in Kwana casa’in. She was seen and regarded as one of the few lucky artistes to have made a name within a short time. Safiya  was said to have been auditioned for Arewa24 TV series Kwana casa’in at the age of 18.

Her role in the series made her famous and also earned her the name ‘Safara’u Kwana Casa’in. She became one of the most celebrated characters in the series. Her ability to flawlessly deliver her lines transformed her into one of the few screen divas who enjoyed a great deal of popularity in the industry.

It was, however, unfortunate that the young actress’s nude video got leaked in 2020 and it went viral. The leaked video was said to be the main reason why she lost her role in the TV series though several attempts to rectify the issue were made by the actress and artistes close to her to no avail.

The actress was suspended from the Hausa film making industry while the leaked nude video saga raged. The actress was said to have accused her colleagues of failure to stand by her during her trying moments.

However, not deterred from forging ahead as an entertainer, the actress became very active on social media and was later reported to have joined a Hausa rap group and later took to singing as her new career.

In her song ‘Kwalelenka’, she indicated that she has dumped Kannywood for singing, while describing the Hausa film making industry as “Sana’ar Yan Wahala” meaning Kannywood is nothing but a fruitless labouring ground.

A short video of the song ‘Kwalelenka’ went viral and generated lots of reactions from members of Kannywood and their allies. Some Kannywood actors and actresses took to their social media handles to reply the new singer who now goes by the stage name ‘SAFAA’. They condemned Safara’u for what they termed an act of ingratitude, having ridden on the back of the industry to become whatever she is today.

Actress Umma Shehu took to her social media page to challenge Safara’u’s claim that the Hausa film making is a fruitless labour. Umma Shehu asked Safara’u to drop the stage name ‘Safara’u” which she said was given to her by Kannywood.

Other prominent artistes in the industry chose not to take Safara’u seriously as they consider her no longer a member of the industry, but Safara’u seems unperturbed as she’s kept doing her thing on social media without giving any consideration to what members of Kannywood were saying about her.

A member of the industry Musbahu Bash who is irked by the vulgar and foul language in her songs, noted that people knew her as an actress and will continue to see her as one irrespective of her denouncement or anything else.

“Her actions on social media has been very demeaning to Kannywood even though she made it public that she had quit the film making industry, but it is sad that many people still see her as an actress not a rapper, because she came into limelight through film making,” said Bash.

Safaa, as she now calls herself, had in one of her lyrics described the attitude of her former colleagues as ‘Act of envy’ towards her success in her new career.

Her short videos on social media are gradually becoming hot cake in the entertainment sector as she is visible in virtually all platforms.

A source close to the Kannywood leadership revealed that Kannywood has no business with what she does, as she is no longer a member of the industry.

“If she likes she can do worse than what she is doing today, that is not our problem. She can’t tarnish our highly earned reputation by doing what she is doing. As far as we are concerned, she is not part of us anymore,” said the source.