INTERVIEW: “How I became Kannywood’s first award-winning actress in the 90s”

There is no gainsaying that the Kannywood movie industry has developed in terms of quality of scripting, acting skills and technical approach to movie production.

PREMIUM TIMES’ Mohammed Lere spoke to Halima Adamu Yahaya, the industry’s first female award-winning actress, and she reflected on that progress.

PT: We understand that you were the first Kannywood actress to win the first ever “best actress” award in the early days of the Kannywood. How did you do that?

Halima:  Yes I was, even though I cannot remember which year it was, but it was actually in the 90s.

PT: Were you actually the best at that time?

Halima: I think I was, because the organizers chose me based on what they thought was the best.

PT: How would you rate making movies in your days and now?

Halima: In those days we did not have the equipment like they do now, but one thing we did differently was we produced and acted movies that were pure educational. We watched our dialoguing, costumes, and we actually stuck to the northern culture.

Even when we sang in our movies, we sang meaningful songs and we made sure everything was done in tune with our religion and culture.

Remunerations was basically poor if you compare to what actors collect now in the industry. Yet we were happy doing it as a career.

Now they do not put all those things into consideration. They act however way they want whether it makes sense or not. For me I think it is the money that matters for most of them.

PT: Can you tell us some of your colleagues at that time and the movies you acted?

Halima: Yes some of my colleagues at that time are still acting in present time but mostly in fatherly roles. There is Late Hawwa Ali Dodo, Hindatu Bashir, Halisa Mohammed and Aisha Kiyaddadani.

In the male side, there is Shehu Hassan Kano, Tahir Fage, Ibrahim Mandawari and others. I acted in films like Mukaddari, Sabani, Kara da Kiyashi and others.

PT: What do you do now?

I am now a teacher in a Government Primary School in Rimin Gado Local Government Area, and I teach Arabic and Islamic Studies.

PT: Tell us about your family life.

Halima: I am a married woman with nine children. My husband is a civil servant and very loving. He is very kind, nice and always there for me all through our marriage life till now.

PT: Would you allow any of your child to act now?

Halima: Yes if they want to, but it has to be that they understand why they are there and what they should do as actors because everything is not just like the way we left it.

PT: Ali Nuhu is also one of the oldest Kannywood stars, what would you say about him?

Halima: Yes Ali was a good actor even when he started but we are like his elder ones. He respected us very well as his seniors in the industry. I was in the first film he produced from the stable of his records that time. I think it was in 1998 or 1999.

Ali Nuhu is a marvellous actor.

PT: What would you advise present actors and actresses?

Halima: I will only wish them well and remind them to always remember where they came from especially in physical appearances. How they dress in films and their relationships with people.

PT: Thank you.

Halima: You are welcome.