Hausa movie industry. A producer and brand
ambassador, he talks about his job, his 10-year-
old marriage and other sundry issues How challenging is the job of producing Hausa
movies?
Most times, challenges come up when you don't
do your homework the way it should be done. I
don't produce more than one or two movies a
year and I do a lot of pre-production planning
before going on set. That removes all the challenges.
It seems just a handful of producers are from the
north Yes. There are just a couple of us. There a son could be cultural barriers; people seem to be just contented with what they do and they don't want to branch out into wider areas.
How did you break into the English movie sector?When I first started appearing in the English movies, the challenge I had was the perception of my people. Most people misunderstood what I was trying to do. But with time, when the movies started coming out, they became acquainted with what I was trying to do.
At 39 you have already been married for 10 years,why did you have to marry so early?
I was fortunate to meet a wonderful lady when I
was 29. I did not want to let the opportunity slip
by; it would not have been easy to find another
like her at any other time.
Which means as a Moslem, you are not
contemplating polygamy?
I am not contemplating polygamy. I know that
my religion permits it but then, you don't just
jump into it because you see others doing it, it
has set conditions and none of the conditions
affect me, so there is no reason for me to practise
it.Is your wife comfortable with some of the roles
you play?
A couple of times she told me she wasnot very
comfortable with some actresses that I was
paired with and I had to turn down the job. The
peace and comfort of my home is more important than any movie role.
In the soap 'Wetin Dey' you played Ibrahim, an
AIDS carrier who deliberately infected his cousin
with the virus, how were you able to relate with
the character?
I had to go through counselling beforeI could
take on that role but after the programme, I
stopped being afraid of AIDS victims. I now
sympathise with them and I understand their
situation.
You spent almost two years on that project, was
the price worth it? It was worth it.
How much were you paid?
In movies we don't discuss our fees.
You were quoted as saying Omotola is your most
favourite colleague, if circumstances were
different, would you have married her?
I was pretty young when I first saw Omotola in
'Thorns of Roses' and likedher performance.
After that, when I saw her in 'Mortal Inheritance,'
I fell inlove with her as a person because shegave
a perfect interpretation to the character. Of
course, if we were both single, I would have
proposed to her.
How many phone calls do you receive from fans
in one day? I cannot count them.
Are they up to 1000?
They could even be more than 1000, sometimes.
The phone keeps ringing and I don't want to
change my number because it is my contact point.
But if I leave it open all the time, the calls could
be very distracting. For instance, someone calls
and says, 'I just want to say helloto you.' Then
another person calls andsays, 'I just want to say
hello to you.' Sometimes, I need to work and also
spend time with my family. I cannot concentrate
and I had no choice than to install a blocker on
my phone.
How does it feel to be an ambassador to two
huge brands?
They are very caring brands and they deliver
when it comes to paying the model.
What determines the way you dress?
I don't have a particular mood or pattern of
dressing but I have designers that make clothes
for me. One is based in Lagos and he provides
clothes for me when I am in the South. The one
based in the Northalso styles me when I am in the North.
What is your favourite fashion accessory?
I love shoes a lot as well as wrist watches. I love
silver wristwatches butI don't have a particular
designer.
What is your favourite food?
It is my local language dish—Tuwo shinkafa
What was your childhood like?
I grew up in Kano—in no man's land. It is a
society that consists of people from the South
and North. We have a lot of Yoruba, Igbos, the
Igalas, Idomas etc. I am sure this is responsible
for my perception and thefact that I feel very free in whatever part of Nigeria I find myself. When I go to Asaba, I eat pounded yam and when I come to Lagos, I eat amala andewedu.
By next year you would be 40, what are going to
do before then?
There is the saying that you may make plans but
at the end of the day,it is God who determines the outcome and the course that your life is supposed to follow. I am leaving everything in His hands
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