By Abubakar AbdurRahman Dodo
The lingering debate revolving around censorship board leadership pinpoint Iyantama at the forefront. Why? In response to this question Iyantama is a person who often competes with himself. This is noteworthy, simply because in all his undertakings he strives to be better than he was known before.
And the secret behind this, may not be unconnected with fact that he dances the tune of modernity without compromising both his religious values and cultural norms. Those who know him testified to this fact.
May be some readers could easily conclude that favouring the man of the moment is the pigment of the writer’s imagination. But if at all anybody think in this direction I have the courage to instigate anybody to peep into the personal profile of this revered film maker. Please do the needful.
My respected readers, I am neither a Peeping Tom nor a Doubting Thomas. The crux of the matter is that, ‘perfection is Godliness and to err is human.’ Man has his strength and weaknesses. But we should always learn to weigh on a scale.
Glancing through the profile of Hamisu Lamido Iyantama, one is amazed with impressive milestone in all facets of life. Because the man of the moment is a person who doesnt need introduction in the Hausa film industry, Kannywood seeing the fact that he has finger in every pie as well as other spheres of human life.
Hamisu Iyantama is an insurer, film producer, script writer, textile merchant, social commentator; a radio program producer (Ilimi zamantakewa), as well as a politician and proprietor of film academy as well as the Author of instructional Book Title “Majigi Shirin Fim A Saukake”.
Despite the fact that he is a business man, many people began to wonder how Iyantama ventured into film production? In response to this question, he categorically stated how he was invited by a popular Kannywood actor, DanAzumi Baba Cediyar yan gurasa aka. Kamaye to act in his film in 1992/3.
According to him: He deem it fit to feature me in his film, as I appeared like the person he had been dreaming to act as the role of protagonist in his film, entitled Bakandamiyar Rikicin Duniya, adapted from a novel. He approached me with proposal and we even visited my mother solely to intimate her about the film project; and she blessed the idea, owing to which her blessings are showered on him throughout my performance in the industry.
Sometimes in 1997 Iyantama set up a film production, Iyan-tama Multi-media. And he was able to procure state of the art equipment from Dubai and Alaba Market. That was his stepping stone. That is why he is able to produce Best Award winning films in his company Iyantama multi-media, including Kin- Gaskiya, Mara Gaskiya/Aisha/Dawayya/Kilu ta ja Bau, Tsintsiya, Gashin Kuma, Buri. Having released a film titled Kunkuru he discovered that some unscrupulous people have flooded the market with pirated copies.
To be candid, this is the man who stringently nurse the growth of Kannywood from scratch to where it is now, ie. grass to grace, owing to which he is recognized by the US Mission in Nigeria. And it is worth mentioning that he attended film training and marketing institutions across the globe, including US St. Monica, Canadian Film Festival and Indian Andiota. Here in Nigeria, he had been to Abuja, Zuma Film Festival, Lagos and so many places.
But the most notable among institutions, centres or pavilions he participated in their activities, includes: American Film market, which is the largest film market all over the world; IFFI- International Film Festival of india; Edingburg film Festival in London; Toronto international film Festival TIFF; and Supervisive Film Festival Croatia.
Based on record, it seems he is the man who deserve to man the affairs of film making industry in the ancient city of Kano, as he is still contributing his own quota in the development of the industry, as well as taking cognizance of Hausa cultural norms and religious values.
Inspite of the fact that he sticks to both cultural norms and religious values, he is a man of the moment as he strives to do things in a modern way. I could remember, I along with popular Kannywood film Director, Kamal Mijinyawa aka Yaron Majigi and Rabiu Musa, Editor HotPen had a discussion on Censorship. And to our utmost surprise Iyantama told us that he started censoring films even before the advent of Censorship Board in Kano State.
Most importantly, I am most certain that both the newspaper editor and the kannywood director were taken aback having heard that Iyan-tama had once invited revered Islamic scholars in Kano to watch his film. Luckily enough the scholars were impressed, owing to which they offer some valuable suggestions that helped him to effect certain correction.
In a nut shell, it seems to me he is often seen as the first to nurture film production in the ancient city of Kano, simply by establishing Iyan-tama Multi-media; and he started censoring films before the advent of an established board saddled with responsibility of censorship. By and large, as a season business man he knows how to turn film making and censorship board into a viable profitable business venture.
Hence, all the doubting thomasses that engage in baseless argument trying to impose their preferred candidate to lead Kano Censorhip board are aware of the fact that Iyan-tama has a global connection with Bollywood and Hollywood.
To cut a long story short even in this digital era, people like Iyan-tama are capable of fishing out pirates in the film industry. Apart from all the stated impressive performance what else do we need for a Censorship Czar? We can come up with a criteria solely to repackage impressive qualities of this man of the moment. And by harnessing the leadership potentials of Iyan-tama as a film maker of highest eminence, this act of courage can put a capital full stop to the lingering leadership on censorship czar as the pendulum points no other person than Iyan-tama.
