‘Many Northern Millionaires, Politicians Don’t Believe In Kannywood’ – Uzee Usman

Nollywood actor, Uzee Usman, has said development in the Kannywood industry (Nigeria’s Hausa-language film industry) has been stunted due to reluctance among wealthy northerners and politicians to fund the sector.

Naija News reports that Usman, in a recent interview on ‘The Morayo Show’, said Kannywood has rich storytelling and a long history.

The movie star pointed to insufficient sponsorship and investment as the primary factor hindering the growth of Kannywood.

He said, “Despite being around for a while and having good stories, I think the major issue affecting Kannywood is the lack of sponsorship and investment.

“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.”

In other news, Uzee Usman has spoken about his relationship with his senior colleague, Funke Akindele, and his experience working on the movie, ‘A Tribe Called Judah’.

The thespian, in an interview with Legit, said playing ‘Adamu’ in the movie was one of the most challenging characters he has played in the movie industry.

However, Funke made the role interpretation easier for the cast.

He said, “It is one of the most challenging characters I have played although Funke as a director made it easier for us because we were working and having fun. She helped us to interpret our roles.”

Speaking on his relationship with Funke, Usman said, “I knew her before the production of A Tribe Called Judah but we were not close. She is someone who appreciates people and speaks to them with respect. After the movie, we became very close and I love her very much because of the way she loves people around her.”