The name Mato Yakubu may not ring a bell to many fans of Hausa film, but the name Malam Nata’ala or Nakunduba will surely do. The versatile actor, known for his role in the TV series Dadin-Kowa, has indeed proved his worth and in this interview, he talks about his acting career among other issues.
Weekend Magazine: Can you tell us your name?
Malam Nata’ala: My name is Alhaji Mato Yakubu popularly known as Nakunduba in Kannywood and Malam Nata’ala in Arewa24. I am Hausa by tribe and was born on August 15, 1967 at Dambuwa Rijiya – a village in Potiskum, Yobe State. I have been in Kannywood Film industry for about 31 years now, but I only became more popular when I was cast by Arewa24 in the TV series drama, Dadin-kowa. I am married with 3 wives and blessed with 10 children.
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WN: What about education?
Nata’ala: I was not enrolled in western education but I am glad that I can read and write. My educational struggle was all about quest for Islamic knowledge. I was enrolled in a Qur’anic school at Zango, in Jimeta, Adamawa State and that was when I went to stay with my father.
WM: How did you find yourself in film making?
I started acting way back, before the advent of Kannywood. I started acting drama in Jimeta where I was enrolled by one Baba Buba in a popular NTA drama called “Sallawanjo” meaning “Biri da Wando”. I usually acted as a little errand boy and that was how I developed interest in drama and film acting in 1981. After Yobe became a state, I came back to Yobe and started my own drama group and that was how we began our free drama show at one primary school before we eventually made it a commercial show where people pay N5 to watch.
Consequently, in 1996, late Rabilu Musa Ibro came to Yobe for a ceremony and he came to our drama spot when he learnt about my talent. He later took me into his group and enrolled me into his drama shows. Eventually, that drama show took me to Kano city where I met director Ishaq Sidi Ishaq, Ibrahim Mandawari, Tahir Fagge, Dan-Dugaji amongst others. That was how it all started.
WM: Did you face challenges while acting drama in Jimeta?
Nata’ala: Well, those days the world was very peaceful and people were very mindful about their own businesses. I was very grateful that my father was comfortable with what I was doing and I didn’t face any challenge or have any issues with him on that.
WM: Can you remember the first movie you appeared in?
Nata’ala: My first movie was “Karshen Munafiki jin Kunya” produced by Late Musa Na Saleh and it was my first appearance in Kannywood films.
WM: How did you feel your first time before a camera?
Nata’ala: I heard the word “Action” but I kept quite because I did not know what it means. Musa Na Saleh explained clearly what I have to do whenever I heard the word “Action”.
WM: How would you describe the Kannywood of those days and the present Kannywood?
Nata’ala: Well, things have changed a lot because in those days Kannywood was a serious business for actors unlike now where you may see a lot of immoral behaviour amongst actors. Also, now Kannywood has been divided into different factions based on political groups unlike before when everyone was struggling to attain popularity.
WM: Don’t you think the emergence of politics in Kannywood is a positive development?
Nata’ala: Politics has brought about positive development in our democratic political entity. However, in Kannywood, lack of political tolerance has brought about hatred, enmity and factions amongst actors of different political groups or ideologies. It has posed a great challenge to our progress. For example, if a director who belongs to a particular political party is producing a film and one of the proposed actors is not subscribed to the director’s political leaning, no matter how good the actor may be, the director would substitute his role. Politics has brought a lot of development but has also affected our personal relationships negatively.
WM: Which other of your early films can you remember?
Nata’ala: There are films like Katanga, Ibro Usama among others. I was also the producer of Ibro Dan Kwanakwana, Aljanar Ibro, amongst numerous others.
WM: What can you say about the emergence of YouTube channels as it relates to the film industry?
Nata’ala: It is a good development because it provides the easiest platform for actors to be popular, and producers to achieve success. Before, when we were using video cassettes, the process was very rigorous and it involves a lot of expenses unlike now that everything has turned digital.
WM: What was the minimum and maximum pay you’ve ever received?
Nata’ala: Well, I don’t bargain about the pay for my appearances in a movie, but all I need is enough time to read the script and master it. What I need is respect, admonishment and regards; and any other thing can follow.
WM: Are you satisfied being an actor in Kannywood?
Nata’ala: I am absolutely satisfied, especially looking at the level of respect I get from so many young people in the business; even some celebrities like Jamila Nagudu, Adam A Zango, Hauwa Waraka and Nafisa Abdullahi among others, is something worth appreciating and I have good relationship with all of them.
WM: What are some of the things you cannot forget as an actor?
Nata’ala: There are a lot of memorable moments, but the one I cannot forget is when Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, sighted me in a gathering; he came and exchanged greetings and also gave me N2m which I used to complete my building.
Also, I met a woman who truly loves me and wanted to marry me because of my acting skills and now we are married with two children. I was also given a chance to go Hajj all because of acting.
WM: Is it true that you had wished to marry the woman who is acting as your wife in Dadin-kowa drama?
Nata’ala: Actually, I was interviewed by some journalists who asked me if I intend to marry another wife, so I explained to them that if I have to marry someone from Kannywood, then it must be Azumi who happens to be my wife in Dadin-Kowa drama.
WM: What message do you have for your fans worldwide?
Nata’ala: I want my fans to understand that there is love and hatred, and oftentimes people fabricate fake stories to defame the character of an actor and share them online which we are victims of most times. The sad thing is that people end up believing what is actually not true.
So, I am pleading with my fans to always understand that not everything they see online is true.
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