Nollywood actor Uzee Usman has stated that the lack of sponsorship and investment is the main reason Kannywood, Nigeria’s Hausa-language film industry, is struggling to grow.
In a recent interview on The Morayo Show, Usman explained that even though Kannywood has a long history and strong stories, its growth has been held back because wealthy northerners and politicians are hesitant to support it financially.
“Despite being around for a while and having good stories, I think the major issue affecting Kannywood is the lack of sponsorship and investment,” he said.
“Many northerners who are millionaires and politicians don’t really believe in or invest in the entertainment industry the way people in the South (Nollywood) do.”
Uzee Usman Adeyemi is an actor from the Yoruba tribe. He comes from Kwara State but was born in Kaduna State.
He earned degrees in Political Science and English Language from the University of Abuja, and later received an honorary doctorate in Media and Communications Studies from Iheris University in Togo. After that, he studied Special Effects in South Africa.
Usman started his career in 2003 as a make-up artist. In 2013, he moved into filmmaking and has since produced award-winning films in both Kannywood and Nollywood.
His films include ‘Oga Abuja,’ which won Best Hausa Movie of the Year at the 2013 City People Entertainment Awards. ‘Maja’ won Best Film of the Year (Kannywood) at the 2014 City People Entertainment Awards and was also nominated for Best Picture at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
He has also acted in and produced films such as ‘Voiceless’, ‘Mustapha’, ‘Anikulapo’, and ‘A Tribe Called Judah’.