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The recent confrontational approach by Ibrahim Mandawari faction of Filmmakers Association is a vindication of the public surmise that these people will never adjust their stand on indecency despite the public’s calls for them to do so. Long before the unfortunate Hiyana incident, different groups of people had advised the filmmakers to effect corrections in the way they portray Hausa culture in bad image via their so-called Hausa films.
The ulama, specialists, veterans, community leaders, women leaders and so on had at different times called on them to appreciate the fact that the larger society is not happy with their activities as they are in direct contrast to our respected and envied culture. But these novices not only refused to heed the calls, they harangued all and sundry saying that it was their time and nobody should dictate to them how to do their business. They challenged anybody who was not happy with their lack of decorum to produce his own film. Whenever a mention was made of past actors like Dan Haki, Karo da Goma, Tumbuleke, etc., they dismissed them as oldies. Seeing that these people were not ready to listen to anybody, and worse, that the government (quite surprisingly) was honouring them, the society characteristically resorted to prayers to the Almighty to come to its aid. So when the state government appointed M. Abubakar Rabo as DG, Kano State censorship Board as a consequence of the Hiyana incidence, many people sighed with relief as he started working towards sanitising the industry. The major point of contention between the society and the filmmakers is the issue of singing and dancing. While the society abhors the kind of dancing and singing shown by the filmmakers on the grounds that they totally differ from our mores, the filmmakers always point that they are only satisfying their customers’ tastes as they (customers) chase indecorous films, which has singing and dancing like hot cake unlike films that depict our cultures, which are shunned and consequently make them (filmmakers) lose substantial amount. But the society quickly pointed out that this was the very reason why the films should be totally banned, because what the eyes don’t see, the heart doesn’t desire. If there are no such films, the society would be relieved. If the filmmakers are too dull to make decent films, they should simply down tools. The filmmakers always took cover at this stage pointing out that thousands of youth will be unemployed if they are forced to down tools. But they are simply reminded that the provision of employment will never be an alibi for spreading evil in the society. All other vices could be established in our midst in the guise of providing employment if we fall for this bait. Drug traffickers, armed robbers, fraudsters, riggers, corrupt officials, etc. could as well find this theory as handy. Another area of altercation between the society and the filmmakers is the issue of misrepresenting the Hausa culture and/or planting negative and poisonous cultures in our midst. While other people are busy spreading their values to the world through their films, our own are busy misinforming the world about us. Worse, these copycats mostly reproduce and translate alien films, albeit amateurishly, and fill our society with them. More disturbing is their claim that they can’t do otherwise. Equally worrying is the unexpected support these rogues enjoy from hitherto respected political analysts who could even dedicate their column in their defence. But one thing is clear, none of these filmmakers and their cohorts has a biological daughter, sister, mother or any close (female) relative in the industry. They are only encouraging others’ relatives in this dangerous hallucination, so as to make money with them and satisfy their lust. One more thing the filmmakers erroneously find difficult to understand is why should their product be singled out for disdain in spite of uncountable European, Indian, Chinese and even (southern) Nigerian films in our society that are extremely worse than the Hausa films in whatever form of immorality? They find this very hypocritical. But had they cared to reason, they would simply understand that their trash is loathed by all moral adults because they are only the Hausa version of those alien films. They translate and mimic foreign films and fill the markets with them as Hausa films. In fact, the adverse effects of the Hausa films are visibly worse than those foreign and (southern) Nigerian films. The films in reference were here for decades with far less impact on our society due to our divergent norms and values with the films, characters, etc. Our people consider their films as their own way of life which differs from ours. But when the so-called Kannywood came and started producing the Hausa version of the foreign and (southern) Nigerian films, the whole society found itself drowning fast! Before you could pronounce the word Rabo, the immorality the foreign films couldn’t spread in our society in decades was hurtfully spread over by Kannywood films in a very short time. The adverse effect of the Kannywood films in our society is devastating. Indecent songs, indecent dressings, disrespect, immorality, triviality, marriage breaking and the likes are synonymous with Kannywood industry, which some people are hell bent on establishing in our centre. When Abubakar Rabo’s censorship board started sanitising the industry, the people of Kano backed him because they were fed up with these people. It is now very surprising that the filmmakers and their cohorts are trying to make the people believe that their fight is only with Rabo and not the society. Of course, their problem is with the entire good people of Kano. Why did the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ado Bayero, lead other respected citizens of Kano to the burning ceremony of their films to demonstrate their displeasure with Kannywood activities? The consistent assertion by the filmmakers that the censorship rules contradict the international laws on films, debatable as it is, surely indicates that these people are so blind that they think they can intimidate us with kangaroo laws. Why don’t they go international and produce their films? Why don’t they even go to other states and leave us alone? If one may ask, why Kano? We don’t want their so-called films. It is funny the way some actors in Kannywood are threatening to move elsewhere if the state censorship refuses to let them do as they wish, as if they are some kind of albarka in our society. Some have already moved. Good riddance! The recent diatribe by Ibrahim Mandawari against the Kano ulama challenging them to a public debate shows the level of immorality of his faction. He uses unprintable words against some personalities typical of his upbringing. It is not surprising then that his faction decided to recall some expelled members whom they themselves said were rogues among them before. But the society sighed with relief when the Habibu Sani group among the filmmakers rebuffed Mandawari and his few choir members by declaring their readiness to accept and follow what the good people of Kano want. Their action indicates that there are indeed some good-mannered men and women among them. They should, therefore, not relent in their effort to sanitise the industry. Government should as a matter of urgency ban this group from film activities for life in the state. The Habibu Sani faction should be encouraged and empowered with the necessary tools to sustain the anti-immorality fervour. We want filmmakers that will be our good ambassadors to the world; those who will use their talent to make our real culture and values known to the whole world, not those who will tarnish our image. Mahmud, aka Aminu S/Nagge, wrote from Chiranchi Quarters,
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, Kano State, 08065880423.
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