The President of the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN), Alhaji Shehu Hassan Kano, has stated that the Kannywood film industry has yet to witness any tangible progress brought by Ali Nuhu since he became the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC).
MOPPAN is the umbrella body of associations involved in Hausa film production.
Shehu Hassan Kano made this known during an interview with Fim magazine, the industry’s leading news publication.
The magazine had earlier reported that shortly after the conclusion of the Zuma Film Festival—an annual event organised by the NFC—MOPPAN, in collaboration with the Arewa Film Makers Association of Nigeria (AFMAN), sent a formal complaint to the corporation over their non-invitation to the festival, accusing it of discrimination.
The NFC had selected only a few individual Kannywood practitioners and invited them to the festival, which was recently held in Abuja, where some were even honoured with awards. No association from the industry was invited.
The complaint by the two associations, signed by Shehu Hassan Kano (President of MOPPAN) and Alhaji Salisu Mohammed Officer (President of AFMAN), sparked widespread debate within the industry, with discussions focusing on Ali Nuhu’s role at the NFC—particularly his relationship with the industry that nurtured him, Kannywood.
In his Fim magazine interview, conducted in Hausa, Shehu Hassan Kano, who is also a prominent actor, noted that in the past the NFC used to invite MOPPAN to the festival, and that the change only occurred after Ali Nuhu assumed leadership of the corporation.
Ali Nuhu is the first Kannywood practitioner to head the corporation, making it the highest position ever occupied by a Hausa film practitioner in the Federal Government.
Explaining to Fim magazine why they submitted a written complaint to the NFC, Shehu said: “The main reason is that this was not how it was done before. In the past, whenever there were events like this, associations such as MOPPAN were fully involved. They were even given responsibilities to assist in organising the festival each year.
“But what surprised us this year is that, suddenly, associations from the North were not involved at all. No explanation was given to us, nor were we told what might justify the exclusion of these two northern associations.
“As President of MOPPAN, although I am newly elected, all previous MOPPAN leaders know that every year, whenever such events were held, MOPPAN and similar associations were involved. But this year, MOPPAN was excluded. So what happened?
“It is therefore not surprising that the NFC itself is the only body that can explain why we were not involved this time.
“The letter we wrote was addressed to the NFC, not to any individual. We did not write to anyone personally. We addressed the NFC as an institution, because it is the body concerned and the one that can explain why we were not involved this year, given that in the past we always were.”
When Fim magazine asked whether he felt people might mock them since one of their own from Kannywood now heads the corporation, he responded:
“No one will mock us, because this is about seeking our rights and freedoms. It is an association matter, and he (Ali Nuhu) himself emerged from this association and rose to where he is today through it.
“In fact, by principle, he himself should have raised the issue when he saw that these professional bodies were not involved, knowing that in the past they always were. Even before the event, when he reviewed the programme and noticed that northern associations were not included, he should have spoken up.
“Ideally, we should have heard that he was concerned over the non-involvement of northern associations.
“So, our demand for our rights and freedom as associations dealing with a federal government agency—an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria—is not about an individual. It does not belong to the Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa alone.
“Even if he were not there, or even if it were an Igbo or Yoruba person—or anyone else—heading the agency, and we were excluded, we still have the right and freedom to write a complaint asking why we were not involved this year, when previously we always were.
“We deserve an explanation. It is not because he is there that we complained; it is because, even before he got there, associations had always been involved.”
On the issue of progress made by Kannywood since Ali Nuhu joined government as head of the corporation, Shehu said:
“As the elected President of MOPPAN, who has begun this journey, I personally have not seen any progress brought to our industry by his presence there.
“Perhaps some individuals are aware of such progress, because I am not a producer who has made a film and received NFC support. I am not a writer or a director. I am an actor.
“But as someone in a leadership position, if there were real progress brought to Kannywood by his appointment, I should be among those who see and can testify to it—even if only on paper. But honestly, I have not seen any.
“It is possible that some individuals have seen or benefited from it, but as an association, my executive committee and I have not seen or known of such progress. If there is any, then it should be explained to us.”
