Weekly Trust (Abuja)
Yusha'u Adamu Ibrahim
1 October 2007
Kaduna — Adam A. Zango...from TV screen to jail?
Sequel to the scandalous happenings in Kannywood, the new management of the Kano State Censorship Board has adopted a new approach which it has termed as 'fire for fire' in its efforts towards sanitising the industry. Adam A. Zango, Weekend Magazine discovered, is the first actor remanded in prison for violating the Board's law.
The Kano State Censors Board had on the 18th of September dragged Kannywood actor Adam A. Zango to a Senior Magistrate Court for violating two aspects of the Kano Censors Board law. Zango was accused of producing and releasing an uncensored music video album called 'Bahaushiya' which contains six songs - one of which was said to have portrayed nudity. The songs contained in the album are listed as 'Lelewa', 'Playgirl', 'Salima', 'Tarbiyyah', 'Nigeria' and 'Kidaya'.
Weekend Magazine learned that despite the Kano State government's call for a ban on Hausa filming activities in the state following the circulation of Maryam Hiyana's sex video, Zango was said to have traveled to Lagos state and released the video album and later brought some copies to Kano for marketing.
Shortly after the release of the film, the Kano State Censors Board dragged the actor/producer to a magistrate court for violating the board's law and in the process of prosecution, was remanded in prison custody till the 26th September 2007.
When the case came up on the 18th of September, Counsel to the Board, Barrister Sanusi Ado Ma'aji told the court that Adam's action contrived the provisions of section 97 of the State Censors Board law 2001. Weekend Magazine's further investigations revealed that it took the court three days before Zango finally got arrested and brought to court for prosecution over the alleged violation of the law.
When Zango was brought to the court located at the area called 'No Man's Land' on the 18th of September, counsel to the accused person Barrister Yusuf Mukhtar applied for the accused person's bail but the court adjourned the case till the 19th of same month.
However, the following day, Weekend Magazine learnt that counsel to the accused person was said to be absent and as a result the presiding judge, Senior Magistrate Mukhtar Ahmad adjourned the case till the 26th for consideration of the bail application filed before the court by the counsel to the accused.
Senior Magistrate Ahmad also ordered for the remand of the actor in prison custody till the 26th September. This, according to sources, might not be unconnected with the attitude exhibited by Zango, causing delays in bringing him to the court at the initial stages of the prosecution.
The hearing on the case resumed last Wednesday, where Zango appeared wearing kaftan while holding a Tasbah. After a reportedly intense tussle between Zango's lawyers and that of Kano State's Censors Board, the accused succumbed and confessed before the court to his being guilty of the two charges.
The judge read his verdict, where he sentenced the accused to three months imprisonment without option or fine on the first charge and another three month imprisonment or a fine of one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000) on the second charge.
After the sentence was passed, a hilarious drama played at the court room, where the censors board officials sought the permission of the judge to play the contentious CD musical titled 'Bahaushiya' before the court. Despite the objection by the lawyer of the defendant, the board insisted to be allowed to play the CD so as to display the offensive scenes for public judgment. To their dismay, the television set failed and thus the show stopped.
Zango is now cooling his feet in the confinement of prison pending the outcome of his lawyer's decision, as a very competent source confided to Weekend Magazine that he is preparing his appeal.
According to the Executive Sectary of the Board, Ustaz Abubakar Rabo Abdulkarim, Zango's action contravened two aspects of the Kano State Censors board law 2001. Ustaz Abdulkarim pointed out that firstly, the film was not censored by the board before it was released and secondly the album was marketed in Kano despite the ban imposed on the industry by the state government.
He explained that the type of dressing and dancing portrayed in one of the videos contravened the teachings of Islam and Hausa culture as well, adding that the dressing in the video portrayed nudity to a certain degree.
Rabo added that the board will not hesitate to deal with any artiste who violates the provisions of the law, adding that "We will prosecute whoever violates the provisions of the law. We are determined to sanitise the industry despite the hardship we are going to face."
However, Zango's arrest put hundreds of his fans into shock with some of them crying in the court premises shortly after the presiding Judge ordered for his remand in Prison. One of them, Malam Yusuf Ado, told Weekend Magazine: "I was shocked to hear that Zango will be taken to prison for such an offence, although I do not blame government but the court should at least allow him to go home since it is his first offence."
Ado told our correspondent that he was not happy with the decision taken by the court, adding that as first offender he should not be sent to prison, appealing to the court not pass harsh judgement on the actor.
Meanwhile, the new management of the censorship board has banned all kinds of dancing and singing in Hausa films, just as it extended the August 2007 ban of film activities in the state to 12th February, 2008. Ustaz Abdulkarim told newsmen that the decision was taken to give the board enough time to sanitise the industry. He also added that the board has also introduced new guidelines for operating film production companies in the state, saying that for a film production company to operate now in Kano, the owner must obtain N2.5m as working capital with a confirmation obtained from a bank statement of account of the company.
Ustaz Rabo added: "Requirements for the establishment of film Production Company approved by the board include a set of computer, pinnacle editing system, monitors, AVC/VCR players, digital camera, two sets of earphone/microphone, tripod/ crane, professional light and reels." The board has also made it mandatory for all producers to have their scripts approved by a recognised consultant and vetted by the board before going to any location for the production of a film in the state.
Also among the new guidelines, it states that all members of any production crew should have a minimum qualification of a diploma or certificate in a related field from a recognised institution.
The board called on the production companies in the state to immediately come forward to revalidate of their registration on or before the 30th of November 2007. The board also charged producers of literary works to register their companies and staff with the board.
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well to me adam zango should be relize because by now am very sure dat he is sorry 4 wut eva he did....yes is is a popular hausa actor who relize music in legos. what i want d court 2 undastnd is dat he did not relize a hausa movie but a music album and dat has notin 2 do wit him bin an actor...the kano state stated dat all hausa producers shld nt relize hausa film nt any tym of album by d way dey are many singers in kano do relize dey album so 2 mi its lyk he has too occuation singin n actin, actin is banned so he carry on wit sindin in order 2 feed him self n his family..or wut do u tink????u can contact me through dis no till dec 17 0173704920 n also can contact me from 17 to 7 january wit 08039378687....