Popular actress and household name in Kannywood, Hajiya Fati Mohammad, was recently appointment as North-west Zonal Director, Atiku Abubakar Care Foundation. She spoke with ALIYU ASKIRA during a party to celebrate her appointment, attended by prominent players in the industry including several A grade actors and actresses, in Kaduna. Excepts:
You are hosting a party to celebrate your appointment as North-west Zonal Director, Atiku Abubakar Care Foundation. What is the significance of the appointment?
As you can see, the party was well attended. I must say that it is not that I was very close to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, but being somebody from Yola, Adamawa state, Atiku’s home state and my background as a popular Kannywood actress, one thing led to another and the vice president invited me and asked me to be the zonal director of his Foundation, an NGO to assist the less privilege.
Of course, I know that he is a politician who once won election as governor of Adamawa state and later served as Nigeria’s vice president for eight years.
He has personally formed several parties in the past and has political friends all over the country, as such, it is possible that he may run for president again in 2019.
So, if he is to run for president in 2019 on PDP Ticket, you will support him?
I like this question because our electorates today have seen what voting one party across board alias SAK has caused for them.
In 2019, I can assure you that people will vote based on personalities and the contribution of the candidates in question.
Vice President Atiku Abubakar did not tell me that he will contest for the presidency in 2019; and on which party platform he will contest if he decides to.
The terms of reference for the appointment he gave me are clear. He is worried that most of assistance he used to render to people through third parties end up in private pockets, as such, he wants me to assist him in reaching out to the less privilege with his assistance. It is not a political party project, but if tomorrow he asks me, to be part of his campaign team, why not, I will do so.
Some staunch supporters of President Buhari are here and are your close associates. What is the implcation?
My very good friends graced the party, nobody said anything about politics. When we successfully reach 2019 then you will know which party some of us will support.
As for me, by virtue of this new position, the former vice president may decide to convert our office into a campaign office, or use me because of my connection to campaign for him in the North-west.
He accorded me all that I needed to function properly like well-furnished office accommodation, official car, housing facilities, fat salary; and you know since I have stopped acting and I am also single, I will be available to assist him to realise his political ambition.
How did you join Kannywood?
I joined Kannywood when I was 14-years-old. When we did the film, Sangaya and Marainiya alongside Ali Nuhu, several years ago, I was only 15-years-old.
That film made me popular, however, it raised speculation that Ali Nuhu and myself were in a relationship and may even have married. Ali Nuhu is like my brother, we are very close, and whenever I am in Kano, I used to be with his wife, who I respect a lot and even call Auntie. So, you can see that the issue of friendship between me and Ali does not arise.
Is it true you were already divorced when you joined Kannywood?
That is far from the truth. I did not marry before joining Kannywood, it was in Kannywood I met my first husband, Sani Musa Mai Iska. We had a very good relationship and later got married.
After our marriage, I secured a contract to do commercials for one company on the dangers of HIV and after that, we relocated to London.
We stayed there for five years, during the period, we did all sort of legal job to survive, but later, my husband started funny things that I could not withstand, so we broke up and I returned to Nigeria.
I set up my production company and also, started acting again before I met one producer, Umar Kanu, elder brother to Ali Jita, we got married and the marriage lasted for three years but his parents insisted that he must send me away because they felt I am older than him; richer than him; more exposed than him and above all, we were not blessed with children.
Up till this moment, Umar Kanu still loves me and left to him, we can still remarry.
Honestly, I married twice from Kannywood and twice the marriage did not work as such, I will not act again, I will not fall in love with anybody from Kannywood and I will not feature in any film again from Kannywood, meaning I will not act again in Kannywood, especially, with my new appointment, which will take most of my time.
Why are you now based in Kaduna?
Well, I am free citizen of this country and I can stay anywhere I choose to. I felt that after my first and second marriage crashed, I should leave Kano and stay in Kaduna which is a new environment and engage myself in other businesses.
All in all, I spent eight years as a married woman but God has not blessed me with any child yet, even though I adopted one young lady, who before now was acting.
However, since I adopted her, she has stopped and I decided to give her the best education I can afford. I am praying hard for God to give me a God-fearing person, so that I can marry again.
I believe in marriage institution. Even my two marriages that hit the rocks, actually, were not my making but I will attribute it to destiny. I am comfortable in life, I am still young and beautiful, as such, there is no reason why I should not marry again.
