Nafisat Abdullahi, Naziru Sarkin Waka and our attack-the-messenger-to-discredit-the-message syndrome

By Ishaq Habeeb

I’ve met Nafisa twice, first at Zoo Road, Kano, hanging out with a friend who’s in business with many Kannywood industry people. Second, when I escorted a friend who visited Kano, Nigeria, from Niamey, Niger Republic. He had been pen pals with Nafisa for some time. So they agreed to meet whenever she’s in Kano.

After my initial attempts to dodge being part of making this meeting happen, I grudgingly agreed to link them up. But, aside from that, I don’t know Nafisa enough as an actress to know whether I like her or her movies.

I mostly remember her from the one-time popular song, “Bankwana sai watarana“, sang by Nazifi Asnanic. But following this Almajiranci debate, I already like her as an activist and looking forward to liking her as – hopefully – a good actress.

As for Naziru, I’ve met him several times. Besides being best friends with his childhood friend Rabiu Uba, I’ve had business reasons to visit his T/Fulani residence last year with Usman G. Abubakar and spent time with the singer in his living room. That aside, I am no fan of his mostly-political music. Nothing personal, just not my genre.

Now back to the original reason behind this write-up; the Almajiranci debate. My stand; Nafisat Abdullahi is right, so is Naziru Sarkin Waka. For those of us that know people in the Kannywood industry and have lived in Kano (the headquarters of Almajiranci in the world) long enough to see the horror of Almajiranci at its peak, we are in a better position to say they’re both right.

Victims of inadequate parenting primarily dominate both Kannywood and Almajiranci systems. Therefore, inadequate parenting is the monster we need to kill. Given that, bearing more children than one can adequately cater for is hugely responsible for bad parenting. This fact proves Nafisa and Naziru right.

Conclusively, the major problem lies with the people that make it their life’s calling always to attack messengers to discredit a message that often serves the good of all – however factual and tangible the facts in the message may be.

First, it was Digital Imam, speaking truth to Presidency on the escalating level of insecurity. Then Nafisat, for speaking out against Almajiranci, a menace we all agree needs urgent addressing. Then almost concurrently, Naziru, for speaking out against the prevalent immoralities in Kannywood, which is being perpetrated chiefly by victims of inadequate parenting.

Now, one can only pray, as a people, may we learn to hate our problems more than we love judging who’s reminding us of their presence for us to FIX them.

Ishaq Habeeb wrote from Kano via simplyishaqhabeeb@gmail.com.