Lawan Muhammad PRP, popularly known as Lawan PRP, is a talented novelist and a screenwriter. In his interview with IBRAHIM HAMISU in Kano, he speaks about his biography and how he got himself into Kannywood.
Your background please
My name is Lawan Muhammad PRP. I am a novelist and a screenwriter.
I was born in Tarauni Quarters Kano state forty years ago. I attended primary school in Bridget Quarters and then attended GSS Stadium for secondary school education, which I completed in 1997. I did not proceed for further education until 2009, when I had two years post secondary school education. I attended many courses on creative writing and screenplays.
I won some competitions in prose and poetry writing. I got a certificate in computer science, and I’m willing to further my education in the field of mass communication at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Currently, I’m married with three children.
How did you get into Kannywood?
My God! Well, getting myself into the Hausa film industry was something that happened unexpectedly. This is because the book market of that time was collapsing and on the other side, there was a scarcity of good screenwriters in the film industry. An idea of training the existing creative writers on screenwriting was hatched. Many seminars and workshops were organised and we attended them because both screenwriting and fiction writing are literary activities. They are all about literature.
What inspired you to join Kannywood?
I joined the industry to promote literature. I also had the belief that my message would meet the target audience and become effectively easier than through writing. This is because there is a decline in reading culture among the Hausa people nowadays. People do not like reading. They prefer to watch videos. Similarly, reading is for literates, but a message through video can also be deciphered by the illiterates.
Kannywood is very broad. What part of it did you specialise in?
I specialised in screenplay and producing, but I would like to become a director soon.
What film did you write first?
Honestly, I can’t remember, but the first film I wrote which was shown on the screen was Sirrin Ɓoye of Sirrinsu Media Company. Even though I wrote some films before it, it was the first script that was completed into a film and was watched by viewers.
So far, how many screenplays have you written?
They are 15 or so.