Why I return to acting full time – Mai-Shinku

About 5 years ago, Ibrahim Mai-Shinku and Jamila Na Gudu virtually dominated the Kannywood film industry because they became synonymous with each other as film husband and wife. This even led to speculation that they were in love and would soon settle down, even though on several occasions they dismissed this rumor as baseless.

Suddenly however, as Jamila Na Gudu has continued to secure more and more lead roles in many films, Mai-Shinku disappeared from the industry, only for him to come back recently. In this interview with ALIYU ASKIRA in Kano, Mai-Shinku speaks on his come-back, state of the industry and future plans.

There was a time that you and Jamila Na Gudu dominated kannywood, people were even speculating that the two of you would get married. All of a sudden you disappeared into the thin air, what happen?
Well, I am also aware that when we released the film Jamila Da Jamilu people called us on a daily basis to find out if I was actually in love with Jamila and whether we were going to get married. The truth is, whenever we feateru as husband and wife, myself and Jamila Na Gudu would look so real as if we were in real love. But there is nothing like that.

It is all stage-managed appearances. About where I have gone to since, the truth is I am not happy with some of the things happening in Kannywood. There is no respect in the industry, you that work hard to build your image as a star somebody who featured in one or two films would want to rub shoulder with you. In law, for example, when a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is speaking, an ordinary lawyer, no matter how good he is, must seat down and listing. This sort of respect is lacking in Kannywood.

So why did you come back?
I discovered that to run away is not the solution to the problem. Above all, anywhere I go people would say this is Ibrahim Mai Shinku – the popular Hausa film actor. I realized also that since I have my own company, I need to come back and use my resources to produce very good films that will correct some of the mistakes that people notice in the industry, especially the one that causes some of our female actresses to find it difficult to get married. I know that erroneously, people think that most of us are wayward. Contrarily, we have people with doctorate degrees, those with masters’ degrees, graduates and all manner of qualifications. As such, we are as qualified as people in any other profession.

Why is it that since you returned you hardly play alongside Jamila Na Gudu as husband and wife?
It is true, but a lot of things have changed since then. Mind you however, it is also directors and producers that decide who to feature in their films. If I am called upon to feature in a film with Jamila as my wife, I will definitely do it. I can also decide to produce a film with myself and Jamila as the lead actor and actress respectively, because Jamila is an excellent actress, in fact, one of the best in the industry.

What would you boast of as some of your gains as an actor? I mean material things like money, house, wife and the rest?
Firstly, aside having come from a well to do family, having my own company, riding any car of my choice, and a very good, loving wife, people accept me and always want to associate with me because of the single reason that I am an actor and my role in films. Also, I visit and rub shoulders with people that ordinarily I couldn’t have done, only because I am a film star. I always receive goodwill messages from my fans all over the country, with most coming from ladies. So, as you can see, there is nothing film has not done for me – I made money from films as a producer and actor.

Why is it that you hardly dance in a film, allegedly, some people were saying maybe you have a bad leg.
Thank God you can see for yourself that my legs are perfect, even though nobody was created perfect. I don’t actually like dancing because of my own principles. I cannot also play the role of Dan-Daudu, a pimp. The issue is, there are roles that if you play people would remember you for it. Nobody would be happy to be remembered as Dan-Daudu.

Can you marry a second wife from Kannywood and will you allow your children to act?
For my children, it is destiny that determines who they become. But I prefer giving them good education, both western education and Islamiyya, then from there they can decide what to do with their life. Marrying from Kannywood again is destiny too. If God destined that I will marry from Kannywood, so be it because we have good girls in the industry.

Are you worried about the moral corruption in Kannywood? Take the films, Mijin Biza, Tafaru Ta Kare and Anawata Ga Wata, as an example. The three films have corrupt scenes that one expects Kano Censorship Board to ban them, including the actors and actresses. What do you have to say?
Firstly, I am not the director of Kano Films and Censorship Board. Secondly, the films you mentioned were not produced by my company and I did not feature in any of these films. Regarding these films, what I only know is that I can remember a producer and director were arrested because they smuggled the film Anawata Wata Ga Wata into the market without clearance.

I don’t know whether it is related to what you are saying. However, people can always call our attention through various means, media inclusive, whenever we go wrong so that we can correct our mistakes, because, we are in a Muslim society where people don’t take such things for granted.

 

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