Amina Yola: Canvassing mass marriage’s inclusion on party agenda

Amina Yola, who hails from Adamawa state, is into politics, singing, film production and championing gender activities. She has been at the forefront of campaign to protect ordinary women suffering in bad marriages in silence. In this chat with ALIYU ASKIRA, she decries the increasing rate of crashed marriages in the North, especially within the Muslim community. 

You have been in Kannywood for Eight years, yet you are not a household name why?
Honestly, I prefer a low profile life style, I have been here for more than eight years and featured in dozens of successful films but I maintained a trouble free lifestyle, I decided to locate to Kano for many reasons, one because Kano is a commercial city, two, I am interested in the Hisbah Mass Marriage Programme introduced by Former Governor Kwankwaso, I am working hard for my state Governor His Excellency, Senator Jibrila Bindow to embrace the programme, I am a disciplined person, I don’t smoke, drink or take any prohibited items, I don’t fight for roles even when I joined Kannywood, I am more or less a social worker and neither do I sleep with producers to be given lead roles or big artist fee.

What inspired you to acting?
I joined Kannywood through 2 Effect Empire owned jointly by Yakubu Mohammed and Sani Danja when they came to Yola my home state to shoot a film. Along the line they needed some artist to complete their project and my name came up because I was already into TV drama and other media programmes in Yola, they contacted me and gave me a role later they advised me to come over to Kano and take acting as a fulltime profession which I did and have being here for eight years combining acting with other business to earn a decent living.

How have you been fairing in the industry, is it true that most actors/actresses live wayward lifestyles?
I am a very decent person, I was married though it didn’t work out so we divorced. Secondly I am into business and I do meet other businessmen and women to transact businesses as such I need to be decent, respectable and clean.
I am advocating calling on all political parties to incorporate the mass marriage programme in their Manifestos, or in alternative the 19 northern states should set up very strong Hisbah commands in their state like the one obtainable in Kano and embrace the Kwankwaso model. Our Ulamas too should henceforth insist that whenever couples are getting married, they should undergo HIV Test behavioral counseling and before the marriage will be contracted, both of them must sign a document in form of marriage certificate with very strong conditions that whoever abuse these guidelines will pay heavily or even prosecuted and go to jail, these will restore sanity into marriage institution because people will take marriage seriously.

What kind of roles do you take? Do you accept roles that portray you as a prostitute?
I will gladly do it and my reason is simple the way the society is they are not about to change the impression they formed about us for ages, if you are not asking me to go completely naked why not, we are interpreting scripts of a producer who invested his hard earn resources in the project to make profit he is free to produce what the society wants, most obscenest films sells more than decent and religious films.
How about the issue of sex for role or money?
It is true I personally encountered that but I thank the Chief Executive of A and S media, Salisu Officer, who is my boss here. He always gives me quality advises that helped me to be strong and patient most of those who approached me for sex for role over time I have observed that instead of them to be progressing in their businesses or their fortune they are decreasing you cannot combine business with pleasure and succeed.

After being in Kannywood for eight years, you disappeared into thin air our investigation shows that you got married and it did not work out again?
Paused, well I was in my State busy with political activities, like singing and writing jingles for politicians in Adamawa state, some disappointed me after winning elections while others are still promising that they will pay me. The truth is some people that have the impression that we are cheap, if they come to us for sex and discovered we are not what they are hearing they will then use marriage as a cover once they marry us and get what they want they will throw us out that is how far I can tell you but you are free to investigate where I disappeared to why did you not ask since I have a diploma in Mass Communications may be I have gone to school to further my studies.

Who are your roles models in the industry?
Well they are many old and new, the likes of Fatima Mohammad, Jamila Nagudu, Late. Aisha Dankano as for men, Ali Nuhu, Sani Danja, Yakubu Mohammed, Mustapha Musty, Salisu Officer and Adam A. Zango, Adam Zango is my role model and I admired and watch his films a lot, and I enjoyed working with him.

What would you say you have achieved in life?
Kannywood has opened my doors of success for me I visited many African countries and several states in Nigeria to shoot films or do business, people now supply me goods outside the country for me to sell make profit and pay back because they know me and where to get me in case of problem.

Are you considering marriage again?
In and out of Kannywood right now I don’t have a boyfriend in fact, I will prefer to marry within Kannywood with a professional colleague that will understand me better, Mansurah Isa Married Sani Danja and they are living peacefully the truth is I am now seriously pursuing money not marriage. If I settle down and now that things are difficult for men and women and my husband said I should be indoors, you know it will not work, it is now you scratch my back, I scratch yours, when you have, you give us when I have I takeover I can’t stay in purdah (kulle) I am into business except if the man is extremely rich.

What is your assessment of the Buhari administration?
The President is doing a is doing a fantastic job, he was head of State before, GOC, petroleum minister, state governor, and executive chairman of PTF in all these places. Nobody has ever accused President Buhari of Corruption, he inherited the country or the economy when things were completely bad. We should pray hard for him to put our economy on track in 2019 we should vote based on competence and character of course as for the President he needs second term to consolidate what he has started especially fight against corruption. The Mass Rice farming programme, the rail system and other projects that are yet to come on board left to me I will score him 75%.