Kano governor lifts bans on Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau

Rahama Sadau

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, through the Kano State Censorship Board, has lifted the ban imposed on popular Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau.

The Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) announced an indefinite ban on the 24-year-old in October 2016 for hugging rapper, ClassiQ, in the video for his song, ‘I Love You’.

Her appearance in the video was termed immoral and against the ethics of the Hausa film industry.

The suspension was upheld despite apologies from the actress and the rapper.

Following her suspension, Rahama was received by the more liberal Nollywood which considered her appearance in the music video as demure.

The Kano Censorship Board, through its Executive Director, Isma’ila Na’abba Afakalla, had last week declared willingness to censor Sadau’s films in what many perceived as a move towards recalling the actress into the industry.

Commenting on the lifting of the ban, Chairman of the Kano Actors’ Guild, Alhaji Alhassan Kwalli, said “the development was timely as stakeholders and practitioners in the Hausa movie industry are using films as a tool for national development.”

A statement issued by Rabiu Rikadawa, Assistant Secretary of the association on Monday, said Kwalli expressed gratitude to Governor Ganduje for lifting the ban.

He also lauded Ganduje’s support to the Hausa movie industry and its practitioners over the years.

He said that Nigeria has good stories and cultures to exhibit to the world adding that this can be achieve with good movies.

While her ban lasted, Rahama made her Nollywood debut in an EbonyLife TV drama series titled Sons of the Caliphate.

She was also invited to the United States of America by Nigerian film director, Jeta Amata, where she met and hugged Senegalese-American rapper, Akon.

She has since deleted all the pictures she took with Akon from her Instagram page.