Kannywood

By Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin 

The Kannywood film industry is more than an entertainment industry. It has become one of the most powerful cultural influences in Northern Nigeria. The stories it tells shape how people think, speak, and sometimes even behave. Characters become role models, and the habits they display often find their way into everyday life.

That is why this is a respectful appeal to directors, producers, and scriptwriters: as you entertain millions, also seize the opportunity to promote simple habits that make our society safer, healthier, and more compassionate.

One of the simplest ways to save lives is also one of the most overlooked. Wearing a seat belt should not depend on the distance being travelled. Whether someone is driving to the market, taking children to school, or travelling across states, everyone in the vehicle, including those in the back seat, should buckle up before the journey begins.

Unfortunately, films often show characters jumping into cars and driving away without fastening their seat belts. This unintentionally sends the message that seat belts are optional. Imagine the opposite: respected characters calmly fastening their seat belts before starting the engine, reminding passengers to do the same. Such scenes require only a few seconds but can influence millions of viewers.

Also, modern driving is increasingly threatened by distracted driving. Many people believe it is harmless to answer a quick call, read a message, or reply to a text while driving. Others assume it is safe to use their phones while waiting at a traffic light.

In reality, distraction can be deadly. Safe driving means the phone stays out of the driver’s hands until the vehicle has been parked safely. Showing heroes who ignore incoming calls while driving or politely tell callers, “I’ll call you back when I’ve stopped,” promotes a powerful message without interrupting the story.

Additionally, food is central to many Kannywood stories. Family meals, celebrations, and traditional gatherings are common scenes. Yet one simple habit is often overlooked: washing hands properly before eating or preparing food.

Handwashing properly remains one of the most effective ways to prevent many infectious diseases. A brief scene showing a family washing their hands before sharing a meal can quietly reinforce a healthy practice that protects entire households.

Mental health is another area where Kannywood can make a real difference. Too often, emotional struggles are portrayed only as spiritual attacks. Faith is important, but so are counselling, medical care, and family support. Showing them together would reflect real life and encourage more understanding.

Furthermore, people living with disabilities deserve to be represented with dignity and authenticity. Too often, disability is used merely as comic relief, a symbol of helplessness, or a tool to evoke pity.

Real life tells a different story. Across Nigeria, people with disabilities are teachers, entrepreneurs, professionals, artists, students, parents, and community leaders. They contribute meaningfully to society and deserve to see themselves represented fairly on screen.

Inclusive storytelling means giving characters with disabilities meaningful roles, realistic ambitions, and complete personalities—not defining them solely by their disabilities.

Social change does not always begin with government policies or public campaigns. Sometimes it begins with everyday habits becoming normal. This is why I hope Kannywood filmmakers become more intentional about the habits they put on screen. The greatest impact may not come from dramatic speeches or moral lectures, but from ordinary characters consistently doing the right thing.

After all, audiences often imitate what they repeatedly see. Sometimes, the lessons we never intended to teach become the ones the world remembers the most.

Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin is a graduate of mass communication from Bayero University, Kano, and can be reached at ibrahimaliyu5023@gmail.com.

By Prince Daniel Aboki

Every Nigerian has the constitutional right to support any political party or candidate of their choice. That right is guaranteed by the Constitution and should always be respected.

However, an industry cannot thrive when, every election cycle, a few individuals position themselves as speaking on behalf of everyone, mobilising groups to endorse politicians and, in the process, reducing the industry’s engagement with government to the pursuit of personal benefits.

When this becomes the dominant culture, the industry risks not being taken seriously. Government and development partners are beginning to see the industry not as a strategic economic sector but as a collection of individuals seeking patronage every four years. More often than not, the distribution of cash gifts, vehicles, and other favours also creates avoidable divisions within the industry, as practitioners become aligned with competing political interests. Instead of fostering unity around the collective growth of Kannywood, election seasons too often leave the industry fragmented long after the campaigns have ended.

Politicians understand the influence that Kannywood celebrities command, particularly in Kano and across Northern Nigeria. They know these personalities can shape public opinion, mobilise supporters, and amplify campaign messages during elections. That influence is valuable, but it should be used as a bargaining tool to secure lasting benefits for the entire industry—not for personal aggrandisement. Our collective influence should translate into meaningful negotiations for better policies, sustainable funding, stronger institutions, improved infrastructure, and greater opportunities for everyone in Kannywood, rather than short-term personal gains for a few individuals.

Kannywood is far bigger than election campaigns. It is one of Northern Nigeria’s greatest cultural and economic assets. It has the capacity to create thousands of jobs, preserve and promote our culture, strengthen social values, attract tourism, earn foreign exchange, stimulate investment, and project Northern Nigeria to the world.

What makes this even more compelling is that Kannywood has already demonstrated its commercial strength. Some of its producers operate some of the biggest and most successful YouTube channels in Nigeria, attracting millions of views and building significant audiences worldwide. That success should not remain the achievement of a few individuals. It should be consolidated into an industry-wide strategy that creates opportunities for younger filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, editors, cinematographers, musicians, and other creative professionals.

This is the conversation we should be having with those in office and those seeking public office.

Rather than seeking cash gifts, vehicles, or personal favours, we should be demanding policies that strengthen the entire industry: film villages, production funds, affordable financing, stronger copyright protection, modern cinema infrastructure, professional training, international partnerships, tax incentives, and support for participation in global film markets and festivals. That is how enduring creative industries are built.

Over the years, Nollywood has increasingly engaged government and development partners on issues that strengthen the industry’s ecosystem. The conversation has largely centred on policy, investment, institutional support, skills development, financing, and international collaboration. Individual practitioners may support political candidates—as they are entitled to—but the industry’s long-term development has remained a central focus.

This does not mean Nollywood is a perfect congregation. There have also been individuals within Nollywood who have pursued personal interests above the collective interest of the industry. However, when the two industries are compared, Nollywood has, on balance, positioned itself more effectively as a strategic partner in industry development, policy engagement, and institutional growth. Kannywood can do the same.

We must stop approaching politicians with a cap in hand every election season. An industry with this much talent, influence, and economic potential should not present itself as a sector waiting for handouts. It should present itself as a partner in development—one capable of creating jobs, generating revenue, attracting investment, promoting tourism, preserving culture, and contributing meaningfully to the economy of Northern Nigeria.

Politicians will respect Kannywood when Kannywood first respects its own value. This is not a criticism of anyone’s constitutional right to participate in politics or support a candidate. Rather, it is a call for Kannywood to recognise its collective economic power and organise itself as an industry worthy of sustained investment, strategic partnerships, and long-term development.

The question should no longer be, “Who is giving us what?” The question should be, “What policies, investments, and partnerships will transform Kannywood into one of Africa’s most competitive creative industries?”

The future of Kannywood will not be determined by what a handful of individuals receive during an election season. It will be determined by what the entire industry builds together for generations to come.

The choice before us is simple: we can continue chasing political patronage every four years, or we can build an industry that creates wealth, creates jobs, attracts investment, shapes culture, and becomes impossible for governments and the rest of the world to ignore.

Prince Daniel is “A Concerned Citizen” and a filmmaker. He can be reached via blackvillemedia@gmail.com.

By Mubarak Umar

There are television series you watch for entertainment, and there are those that remind you what storytelling is truly capable of.

Matan Gida, created by Abubakar Bashir Maishadda, is one of those rare productions.

For years, Hausa television has largely remained within the familiar territory of domestic disputes, predictable romances, and neatly resolved family conflicts. Audiences have become accustomed to stories that rarely challenge expectations. Matan Gida breaks away from that tradition with remarkable confidence.

The series is driven by a screenplay that feels fearless. I can sense that when Ibrahim Birniwa opened his PC to draft Matan Gidan, he wasn’t writing to satisfy convention; he was writing to provoke thought. The script explores uncomfortable realities, moral ambiguities, power dynamics, and the hidden complexities in our everyday lives, subjects that many filmmakers have hesitated to approach. Every episode feels intentional, with dialogue that carries weight and scenes that linger long after the credits roll.

The entire cast truly deserves equal praise. The ensemble is balanced, with each actor bringing a distinct personality and energy to the screen. There is no sense of characters competing for attention; instead, every performance contributes meaningfully to the larger narrative. It is this diversity of characterisation that gives Matan Gida its emotional richness and realism.

Abubakar Maishadda deserves credit for trusting a script that challenges Kannywood’s conventional cinema. Because producing a series like Matan Gida is a creative statement. It proves that audiences are ready for mature, thought-provoking stories.

And now comes the real test.

With Season Two premiering today, expectations are high. The first season didn’t just tell a complex story—it raised the standard in Kannywood. Audiences will be expecting deeper conflicts, higher emotional stakes, more character arcs, and answers to the questions deliberately left hanging. More importantly, viewers will expect the series to preserve the boldness that made the first season stand out rather than retreat into familiar territory.

If Ibrahim Birniwa’s pen remains as fearless as it was in Season One, and if the series continues on the pedestal that challenges both the industry and its audience, Matan Gida has every chance of becoming one of the defining works of modern Hausa television.

By Khalid Imam 

The Triple R Kannywood Renewed Hope Initiative, the highest body of elite Kannywood actors and other influential Arewa creatives, led by Alhaji Dauda Adamu Abdullahi Kahutu Rarara, organised a special prayer session to pray for peace, unity, and security in Nigeria on 22nd June 2026 at the Aminu Dantata Trade Fair Complex in Kano City.

Conceived by a high-powered 5-Man Committee of Special Prayer chaired by Nura Hussaini, a famous Hausa film actor, the session drew a massive turnout of notable Hausa film actors, directors, singers, scriptwriters, authors, and other creatives in the arts industry. TikTok influencers and dozens of group members were also in attendance, and all were united by their concern over Nigeria’s security situation.

The special prayers attracted enthusiastic attendees from the film and arts industry in Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Niger, Sokoto, Borno, and other Northern regions. Starting around 11 am, members recited the Holy Qur’an. A big cow and a large ram were slaughtered, and the meat was shared among the public. The act sought Allah’s intervention for lasting peace and security, especially in troubled areas. 

Prayers were also faithfully offered for Almighty Allah to completely crush all those directly or indirectly profiting from the killing of innocent lives, especially bandits and other troublemakers. Members also prayed, asking God to bring a permanent end to terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and every form of insecurity plaguing Nigeria, particularly the North.

To ensure a well-coordinated and sustained approach, the initiative is committed to establishing the said powerful standing committee under the chairmanship of Nura Hussaini, with Sharu Nagudu serving as Vice Chairman. All members of the Triple R Kannywood for Renewed Hope Initiative are automatic and committed members, working collectively to hold continuous prayers for peace, unity, security, and Nigeria’s overall development.

At the heart of the prayers was a collective plea for Allah’s immediate intervention in ending the violence still disrupting communities across Nigeria. The group also prayed for lasting peace, security, and stability across Nigeria, for unity, love, and mutual understanding among all citizens, and for wisdom and sound guidance for the country’s political leadership at the national and state levels as they strive harder to steer the nation toward achieving peace and socioeconomic transformation.

Speaking to journalists at the venue of the special prayers and sacrifices, Rarara, a preeminent Hausa song artist and leader of the converged creative minds under the Triple R Kannywood Renewed Hope Initiative, said, “The initiative recognises the daunting challenges security agents face daily in tackling insecurity across the country. This prayer session was organised to complement their efforts by seeking Allah’s intervention and urging the general public to join in praying for the success of the government and security personnel in combating this persistent menace.”

Khalid Imam, a multiple award-winning bilingual author based in Kano, attended the special prayer session and crafted this report.

By Prof. Ibrahim Bello-Kano

Writing any kind of text, narrative, or account of the career or the personal and professional achievements of Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu is, and always will be, daunting for a number of reasons. One of them is the sheer intellectual energy of the man, his passion for the intellect, which would be hard to describe in a short account. Second, Prof Abdallah has the unusual distinction of being officially bestowed with the title of the “Double Professor”, which means that he has contributed to scholarship in two or more academic fields, namely science education, communication studies, and cultural studies— all three fields have a vast set of scholarly literature and other empirical studies that many may fear to attempt to master in a lifetime.

Thus, it is fair to call Abdallah Uba Adamu a polymath because his scholarly interests and publications have given a new twist to the term “intertextuality”; an academic polyglot because he is versed in the languages of science, education, communication studies, and cultural studies, perhaps even of Administration (since he served as the Vice Chancellor of the Nigerian Open University, where he has left behind the enduring legacy of tertiary education reform, syllabus engineering, and the astute management of money, men, and materials.

The preceding discussion should justify my calling him with the plural “Professors” AU Adamu. My pluralisation of his official, well-earned, and widely recognised by students, peers, and colleagues title of Professor needs to be elevated to a higher order of accolade and meritorious distinction by superlativising it with a transcendental “S”. 

Thus, he alone, at least for the moment, deserves to be described as the “Super Professor” among the professors. 

Adding another “s” to his academic designation is a gesture towards his current status as not just a BUK, University, or National Professor but also as an International Professor par excellence, a Professor with scholarly and academic range worthy of being, and comparable to, the most distinguished professors in the academic world. 

Adamu’s teaching outings in the media or at public lectures are supremely well attended; he’s probably the most-quoted source on media studies, Hausa-Fulani-Muslim cultural film and media studies, and a worthy creator and domesticator of the word/adjective (the) “Islamicate”. 

There is yet another side of this gifted Professor that should be mentioned: he is unusually generous, incredibly empathetic, and a walking example of humility. One cannot see or sense or detect the simplest, the faintest, or the most unconscious sign of academic or cultural arrogance in him. What is more, he is an avid reader, a book enthusiast, and a digital wizard, if not a positively maniacal digitaliser of knowledge production itself. 

Little surprise, then, that Professors AU Adamu has got a magnetic personality: everyone, even the other Professors, want to be “caught” in his passionate discussion of academic and mundane topics. 

In a sense, then, Profs Abdallah has paid his dues to the university system. In his early career, he was the envy of his senior colleagues, who did not help his career advancement; he was the object of many a colleague’s malice. He was also badly misunderstood by his peers, who mistook his enthusiasm or passion for academic excellence for personal arrogance. But, over time, his younger colleagues began to see his merits as a scholar, a compassionate person, as a model for younger colleagues across the university. 

His rising profile as an internationally sought-after scholar and researcher began to take hold in his colleagues’ imaginations. At one time, he offered to present a paper on a cultural studies topic at my department. Some colleagues felt that it was not his “field”, so to speak. I, as the HOD, then was not convinced of the argument. When the paper was presented, everyone could see that the presenter was not of the common mill of people but a deeply learned and imaginative scholar. 

Profossors Adamu is and would always be a worthy presence in any undergraduate or postgraduate teaching circuit. His inaugural lecture drew the largest crowd ever. This walking symbol of hardworking, scholarly acumen, and academic energy is a gift to Kano, his hometown, to BUK, and to the world academic community. 

I wish him continuing good health, more research energy, more scholarly output, and more academic-intellectual sparks.

Ibrahim Bello-Kano can be reached via ibrahimbellokano@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Popular Kannywood actress Wasila Isma’il has passed away at the age of 46 after battling illness for a long period.

Her former husband, Al-Amin Chiroma, announced her death in a social media post on Sunday. According to him, the actress died at the FOMWAN Hospital in Kaduna.

Wasila, a Kaduna-born actress, earned recognition in the Hausa film industry through several movie roles. She became widely known after featuring in the 1999 movie Wasila, which Yakubu Lere directed alongside Ali Nuhu.

She started her acting career in 1998 when she appeared in the film Jinin Masoya.

In a previous interview, the late actress spoke about the decision to change the title of the movie Jamila to Wasila.

“I didn’t like the name Jamila because I feared it might tarnish my name, so I asked for it to be changed, and the director agreed,” she said.

Following the announcement of her death, many fans and colleagues shared tributes on social media. They described her as one of the notable figures in the Kannywood industry and praised her contribution to Hausa filmmaking.

By Ibrahim Aliyu

Over the past few decades, Kannywood has grown into one of the most influential cultural industries in Northern Nigeria. Rooted in the Hausa language, Islamic values, and local traditions, it has shaped entertainment, storytelling, and public discourse across millions of homes. For many families, Kannywood was never merely cinema; it became a reflection of identity, morality, family structure, and social values.

Yet despite its cultural importance, Kannywood continues to attract criticism from various sections of society. Some believe the industry has drifted from the moral and religious principles it once claimed to uphold. Others argue that society itself has become increasingly harsh, suspicious, and contradictory in its judgments of public morality.

Perhaps the deeper issue is not merely “bad behaviour” in the industry, but the growing tension among public morality, private intentions, and shifting social perceptions.

In Islam, unnecessary physical intimacy between non-Mahram men and women is generally discouraged, and Hausa society has historically taken such boundaries seriously and with respect. However, there was also a period in Northern Nigeria when families could sit together and watch classic Kannywood comedy scenes featuring actors such as Ibro and Tsigai without automatically interpreting every interaction through a sexual lens.

Parents watched alongside their children. Grandparents watched with their grandchildren. Communities laughed together. At the time, many viewers saw those scenes primarily as comedy, storytelling, and harmless entertainment within a familiar cultural context.

This raises an important question: What changed?

Part of the answer may lie in how modern society increasingly interprets many human interactions through suspicion and moral anxiety. The rapid expansion of social media, unrestricted internet access, celebrity culture, and exposure to explicit online content have reshaped how people perceive entertainment, gender interactions, and morality itself.

As a result, public discussions about morality sometimes become less about intentions, discipline, and character, and more about appearances and public performance. In such an environment, accusations of immorality can spread quickly, even when the cultural context or the intention is more complex.

Hausa society contains longstanding cultural traditions that show how social interaction has historically been understood within context and boundaries. Practices such as “wasan kanin miji” and “wasan kaka da jika” reflect playful social interactions that coexisted with strong family values and respect for marriage institutions. These interactions were not automatically deemed immoral because society recognised the importance of trust, intention, and communal understanding.

This does not mean boundaries should disappear, nor does it suggest that moral principles are unimportant. Rather, it highlights the need for balance, sincerity, and self-awareness when discussing morality in public life.

The danger arises when society becomes more concerned with appearing morally superior than with cultivating genuine ethical discipline. Excessive suspicion, constant public outrage, and the tendency to sexualise ordinary human behaviour can deepen social tension rather than achieve genuine moral reform.

In this sense, Kannywood is more than a film industry. It has become a mirror reflecting the wider struggles within Northern society — the struggle between tradition and modernity, religious values and entertainment culture, public expectations and private realities.

The debate surrounding Kannywood is therefore not only about actors, actresses, or films. It is also about how society defines morality, how communities respond to cultural change, and whether public conversations about ethics are guided by wisdom, balance, and sincerity rather than by fear, projection, or moral performance.

As Northern Nigeria continues to evolve socially and culturally, perhaps the challenge is not to destroy cultural institutions out of anxiety, but to engage them thoughtfully, critically, and honestly — while preserving the values that truly strengthen society.

Ibrahim Aliyu wrote via khalilnuradeen@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kano State Censorship Board has suspended two Kannywood actors after their appearance in a video said to contain content considered inappropriate and against public morality in the state.

The decision was announced in a statement released on Sunday by the board. Officials said the measure is part of efforts to enforce discipline, protect societal values, and ensure adherence to regulations guiding film production in Kano State.

The statement, which Abdullahi Sulaiman signed on behalf of the board’s Executive Secretary, Abba El-Mustapha, named the affected actors as Amina Uba Hassan and Adam Garba.

According to the board, the actors appeared in a video that sparked criticism among many Kano residents over alleged indecent scenes.

“The two actors were suspended after appearing in a video that generated controversy among residents of Kano State over alleged indecent content,” the statement said.

The board stated that the suspension would prevent both actors from taking part in film-related activities in the state for one year.

“The suspension bars the actors from participating in any film-related activities in Kano State for one year,” it added.

The agency also said the law that established the board gives it authority to sanction Kannywood practitioners who violate its rules.

“The law establishing the board empowers it to suspend any Kannywood practitioner found violating its regulations, while defiance of the directive could attract stricter sanctions,” the statement noted.

Speaking on the issue, El-Mustapha advised actors and other industry players to avoid conduct that could damage their reputation or affect the image of Kannywood.

“Kannywood practitioners should avoid actions capable of tarnishing their image or bringing disrepute to the industry,” he said.

He further urged producers and directors in the industry to obey the directive issued by the board.

“Disregarding the suspension order will amount to a direct violation of the board’s regulations,” El-Mustapha added.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Nigerian entertainment industry is in deep mourning following the news that beloved Nollywood actor and model, Alexx Ekubo, has passed away at the age of 40.

Reports emerged late Tuesday, May 12, indicating that the star died at a private medical facility in Lagos. While his family has yet to release an official statement regarding the cause of death, sources close to the actor suggest he had been quietly battling a long-term illness.

Ekubo’s passing comes after a prolonged and mysterious absence from the spotlight. Once a fixture of the Lagos social scene and a prolific presence on social media, the actor had not been seen publicly or posted online since late 2024, leading to months of mounting concern from his global fanbase.

Rising to fame as the first runner-up in the 2010 Mr. Nigeria contest, Ekubo transitioned into a powerhouse acting career. Known for his wit and charm, he became a household name through blockbuster hits like Weekend Getaway, Lagos Cougars, and Sugar Rush. Over his decade-long career, he earned numerous accolades, including the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the 2013 Best of Nollywood Awards.

Beyond the screen, Ekubo was a trained lawyer and a traditional chief, holding the title of Ikuku of Amumara Town.

Tributes have already begun pouring in from colleagues and fans, who remember him not just as a talented performer, but as a vibrant “breath of fresh air” in the African film industry.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

After nearly half a century of dedicated service, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu has formally announced his retirement from Bayero University Kano, marking the end of an extraordinary academic journey defined by intellectual curiosity, resilience, and lasting impact. 

Born in Kano in 1956, Adamu began his studies in education sciences before shifting to media and communication, where he made his greatest impact. This change was key, forging a career linking pedagogy, culture, and media scholarship. Over time, he became a leading figure in Hausa media, popular culture, and communication with a unique interdisciplinary voice.

He joined the university system on 24 July 1980 as a young Graduate Assistant, rose through the ranks with distinction, and, in 2014, contributed to the conceptualisation of the Faculty of Communication. 

Prof. Adamu’s career, spanning forty-six uninterrupted years, reflects a rare blend of dedication and innovation. From the Department of Education to the Department of Information and Media Studies, his trajectory mirrors the evolution of media scholarship itself.

Beyond the classroom and research, Prof. Adamu has been a consistent voice in public discourse, including his longstanding contributions to The Daily Reality, a platform he has not only enriched intellectually but also supported materially. 

Prof. Adamu’s reflections on retirement, posted on Facebook, capture a life lived with purpose. Yet, true to form, he makes it clear that this is no final bow. With ongoing research and forthcoming book projects, the scholar remains as intellectually vibrant as ever.