Kannywood Faces Challenges Despite Growth Potential, Uzee Usman

Kannywood actor Uzee Usman says the slow growth of the Hausa film industry is due to low investment and sponsorship. The industry has made many films and built a loyal following in northern Nigeria and parts of West Africa. But it still does not get the financial backing that Nollywood receives.

Usman spoke about the industry on The Morayo Show this Wednesday. He recognized Kannywood's achievements, including gaining international attention. But he pointed out that the lack of support is holding back its growth.

“I’m one of the people who really pushed it out there to the global world with my movie Voiceless, the movie about Boko Haram… I think it’s a growing industry. They’re coming up gradually,” the 39-year-old said. “On what’s stalling Kannywood, I think it’s more of sponsorship. It’s more of an investment. The core Northerners who are the millionaires, the politicians, they really don’t believe in entertainment the way most people in the South do.”

Early Struggles

Looking back on his start in the industry, Usman, who has worked in both Nollywood and Kannywood, shared how he faced many rejections early on.

“In 2003, I used to come to audition all the way from Kaduna to the National Theatre… It’s not like now. When you go to audition, you’ll be singled out from like a thousand people, and you have to audition in their presence,” he remembered.

He recalled a discouraging moment when a famous director told him he did not have the right looks or personality for acting. The director suggested he work behind the camera instead.

But those comments pushed Usman to learn makeup, which helped him get into acting and film production. He started training under Gabriel Okorie, known as Gabazini, before going to South Africa to improve his special effects skills.

“So then, Gabazini is one of the biggest makeup artists in Hollywood. Then I approached him. I said, ‘I want to learn makeup.’ He said, ‘No problem.’ So that’s how I started holding his bag,” Usman said. “From 2003 to 2005, I was able to go to South Africa to learn special effects. I came back, and I became one of the biggest makeup artists in Nigeria.