I was victim of sex-for-role, but … –Amina Yola

Kannywood Actress, Amina Yola, has dozens of films to her credit. She has travelled round the country courtesy of film-making. Aside acting, Amina has her private business concern. In this interview with ALIYU ASKIRA, she speaks on her life as an actress, marriage and sundry issues.

 

You have been in Kannywood for close to 10 years, but still seem to keep a low-profile?

Honestly, I prefer a low-profile life style. I have been here for more than eight years and featured in dozens of successful films. I have maintained a trouble-free lifestyle. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink or take any prohibited items.
I don’t fight for roles and neither do I sleep with producers to be given lead roles or big artist fee.

How did you start acting?
Well, I joined Kannywood through 2 Effect Empire, owned jointly by Yakubu Mohammed and Sani Danja. I met them when they came to Yola, my home-state.

They needed some artists to complete their project, my name came up because I was already into TV drama and other media programmes back then in Yola. They contacted me and gave me a role.

Thereafter, they advised me to come over to Kano and take acting as a full-time profession, which I did. Ever since, I have been here, combining acting with other business to earn a decent living.

People admire the way you dress, conduct yourself and much more. What is the secret?

Well, firstly, I was married before. I used to live a decent life with my former husband. Secondly, I am into business and I do meet serious and decent businessmen and women to transact businesses. So, I need to be decent, respectable and clean.

Could you feature in a film as a prostitute or one that your costume will expose your body?

I will gladly do it. My reason is simple, if you are not asking me to go completely naked, why not? We are interpreting scripts of a producer, who invested his hard-earned resources in the project to make profit. He is free to produce what the society wants; obscenest films sell more than decent and religious films.

How about the issue of sex for role or money? Can you compromise for a role?

It is true. I personally encountered that but I thank the Chief Executive of A and S Media, Salisu Officer, who is my boss. He always gives me quality advice that have helped me.

I have observed that most of those who approached me for sex-for-role, don’t progress in the industry. You cannot combine business with pleasure and succeed.

You were off the scene for a while and investigation showed that you got married but it didn’t work out. What is the true situation?

Well, the truth is some people have the impression that we are cheap, if they come to us for sex and discover that we are not what they heard, they would then use marriage as a cover-up.

Once they marry us and get what they wanted, they would throw us out. I was a victim of that scenario.

Who are your favourites in the industry?
Well, they are many, old and new, the likes of Fatima Mohammad, Jamila Nagudu, Late Aisha Dankano.
Also, Ali Nuhu, Sani Danja, Yakubu Mohammed, Mustapha Musty, Salisu Officer and Adam A. Zango, are some of my favourites.

Zango, particularly, is my role model and I admire and watch his films a lot, and I enjoyed working with him.

How would you assess you career in Kannywood and life in general?
Kannywood has opened 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 from outside the country to sell and make profit on trust. I sell the goods and pay back because they know me and trust me.

Are you in a relationship and do you have plans to marry again?

I am in and out of Kannywood. Right now, I don’t have a boyfriend. In fact, I will prefer to marry within Kannywood, a professional colleague that will understand me better.

Mansurah Isa did it with 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 says I should be indoors, you know it will not work. I can’t stay in Purdah (kulle), except if the man is extremely rich.

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