We mirror society but people still call us wayward – Ummi Lollipop

Ummi Muhammad Ibrahim popularly known as Lollipop, is a Kannywood actress that cut her professional teeth about three years ago. In this interview with ALIYU ASKIRA in Kano, Lollipop speaks on marriage and people’s opinion about Kannywood ladies.

Having been off the screen for a long time, and for the benefit of those who don’t know you, could you tell us a bit about yourself, including how you got your nick: Lollipop?
Well, I have been around and I did not stop acting but at times, one will want to take time off to assess himself and prepare for the future. I did not get the name Lollypop from Kannywood. I could remember when I was young, I used to take chocolate a lot, so my sister decided to give me the name Lollypop.

My name is Ummi Muhammad Ibrahim Lollypop. My father is from Borno State, I was born in Unguwan Rimi Quarters of Kaduna state. We later moved to Badarawa before settling in Unguwan Dosa also. My mother is a Fulani from Yola, Adamawa state. I am 27 years old. I did my primary school at Success International School Kaduna, later attended Airless Secondary School Sabon Tasha and ended up at Makarfi School of Health Technology where I trained as a Health Personnel.

Some people see you as friendly and easy-going lady, while others are saying that you are arrogant and aggressive. How would you react to this double edged impression?
Whether I am arrogant or aggressive, the truth of the matter is that some people think we are cheap, that is why I need to prove them wrong. The thing is, many times I would receive a call from guys who will want to associate with me and if later they did not get what they want, they will come up with flimsy excuses, some times even marriage proposal. The experience is that when they marry us, you will either discover that they are fake or they just marry us to satisfy their desire and dump us. So if you are not serious, please don’t come to me because I am not available.

Tell us what you’ve made so far from acting.
Well, I had wanted to be an actress and here I am, a successful one. Before now, nobody knew me, now I am a household name. I am also happy that God created me a Muslim and gave me a good health and wonderful parents. All these I earned them about three to four years back. So what am I looking for again than to get the person that really loves me and settle down as house wife.

Tell us your worst experience in Kannywood
They are many: people who want to date ladies from Kannywood, people want to marry ladies from Kannywood. People want to watch Kannwyood films that feature beautiful ladies, people want to watch Hausa films that have love as its main focus, yet the society looks at us as if we are cheap and wayward, why? People tend to forget that what we do in films is different from our real life outside. We are being asked to interpret a script written by a script writer and to be shot in a film by a producer who has assembled professional actors and actresses to shoot the film. So you can see that we have nothing to do with our stage roles in real life, the society is not kind to us by thinking that what we do in films are what we do in real life.

Have you ever featured in a film that you are now regretting?
Not at all, you need to associate with Kannywood film actors and actresses for you to know that the profession is as decent as any other profession. I am not saying we are saints or angels, am not saying there is nothing like sex for role. In fact, it is only in Kannywood you would see a lady that is new in the industry being given a lead role in a very big film right from the day she joined Kannywood.

These are some of the things that are bringing gossip and speculations but one has no choice but to limit himself to what he or she can do. I have lot of admiration for many actors and actresses in Kannywood just the way other people also admire me in and outside the industry. So I am praying hard to leave here in peace not in pieces because in future, I will not mind allowing my children to also join Kannywood as actors and actresses.

“It is only in Kannywood you would see a lady that is new in the industry being given a lead role in a very big film right from the day she joined Kannywood.”

Leave a Reply