3 Major controversies that rocked Kannywood in 2019

Over the past few years, conflicts involving either actors or actresses have become prominent in the fast-growing indigenous Hausa movie industry-Kannywood. Some argued that the frequent controversies are deliberately orchestrated by those involved in order to keep them in the spotlight especially when they are getting out of relevance in the industry. 

For some however, the controversies are not only demeaning to the image of the culture the industry seeks to represent but also poses serious concern to the growth of the industry that has employed many in the northern states.

Like any other year, 2019 came with some of its peculiarities, as the industry reflects on the gains recorded, below are some of the controversies that characterized the industry within the year: 

Hadiza Gabon and Amina Amal saga:

 This started in April when a video surfaced on YouTube and other social media showing Amina Amal being bullied by Hadiza Gabon for allegedly accusing her of lesbianism. This allegation was said to have been made by Amal in reaction to comments on an ‘indecent picture’ she allegedly posted on her Instagram page. We learnt that among the people that commented on the said photo was Hadiza Gobon. 

Narrating the genesis of the conflict in one of the interviews with Daily Trust’s Weekend magazine few days after the alleged attack by Gabon, Amal admitted posting a picture that generated a lot of comments from the public. “In the beginning, it was a picture that was not decent so a lot of people were complaining and in the end, I included another DM (direct message) and some wordings. However, I didn’t know that she was not happy with the post since I didn’t mention anyone’s name in it” she said. 

Narrating how she was assaulted, Amal said, “I was at home and Habu Sarki, who happens to be one of the people I respect so much in the industry, called me and said he wanted us to have a very important discussion. He said he was out of town and would call me when he arrived. When he came back, he called as we earlier discussed and I came out to meet him. As I stepped out of the house, I noticed a black salon car and then I saw Hadiza Gabon coming out of the car. “I didn’t know she came along with some others in a tricycle and immediately she got close to me, she started beating me. 

Habu Sarki then said we should get into the house but I was confused because I didn’t know what was actually happening. I opened the door to my house and we all entered and yet she didn’t stop beating me. From the video, you will notice that it all happened in an apartment. The videos are two; in fact, she beat the hell out of me and seized my phone”. Amal instituted legal process at a Federal High Court, praying the Court to award her N50million as general damages for alleged defamation of character. 

Sadiya Haruna and Isa I. Isa: 

This is another crisis that rocked Kannywood in 2019. It started sometime in August when Ex-Kannywood actress and a social media influencer, Sadiya Haruna in one of her controversial videos posted on YouTube accused Isa of homosexual behaviour. Sadiya made the allegations against her erstwhile husband in retaliation to similar allegation he allegedly levelled against her. The issue generated a lot of reactions from personalities within and outside the industry. Sadiya Haruna was eventually arrested and arraigned in court for alleged defamation of character against her ex-husband. Afakallah Versus Sarkin Waka: 

Kannywood singer, Naziru Ahmad. 

The arrest and arraignment of Naziru Ahmad, the turbaned Kano palace singer sparked reactions from within and outside the Kannywood industry following a general clampdown by the state Censorship Board on uncensored films and musicals. This development came shortly after the arrest of another practitioner Sunusi Oscar who was later released on bail. It was gathered that, many members of Kannywood industry have gone into hiding for fear of arrest for releasing uncensored materials.

It has, on Saturday, been reported that famous Hausa singer Aminu Ladan (ALA) had gone underground for fear of being arrested. It could be recalled that, the feud between the two bodies that ought to work in synergy began when the Executive Director of Kano state censorship board Ismaíla Naábba Afakalla was appointed to serve a second term as boss of the board. 

On resumption, Afakalla came up with new directive that require all practitioners to bring forward for censoring any work meant for public consumption including those to be posted on You Tube. Naziru was arrested for the release of two albums. The albums ‘Gidan Sarauta’ and ‘Sai Hakuri’ were released some years back but the board said it was not censored.