Nollywood actress Hadiza Abubakar, otherwise known as Ummi Gombe, has been in the Hausa film industry for more than 10 years. However, very little was known about her until recently because she hardly got prominent roles in high-budget films. Ummi Gombe’s fortunes may have turned for the better in 2020, as she has featured in several songs and dozens of films making her a sought-after actress and vocalist in Kannywood. She recently won an award for her role as lead vocalist in a song: Yar Fulani Zalla, which translates to Pure Fulani Lady. In this interview with ALIYU ASKIRA, she talks about the challenges she faced in the industry and her plans for another shot at marriage, among others.
Your background?
My name is Hadiza Abubakar, a Fulani from Gombe state. I have been in Kannywood for over 10 years but it is only now that I became popular because before now I hardly got roles in serious films from popular directors and producers, even singing which I mostly concentrate on. It was only from January 2020 that I started featuring in very good music videos but thank God recently I even won an award because of a song called Yar Fulani Zalla meaning Pure Fulani Lady. So, all in all, I am not complaining because the sky is my limit.
You are a divorcee, bazawara in Hausa; do you have plans to re-marry?
Like you rightly said, I am a divorcee. I was blessed with one child, a baby boy, from my previous marriage. So, if by the grace of God a decent person proposes to me and I am sure that he is really serious I will definitely drop whatever I am doing and settle down again.
However, I am yet to fulfil my ambition and aspiration in the industry. I want to be, not only a first class actress, but a producer so that even if I get married again I can still invest my money in the industry.
So, what is real story of your experience in Kannywood including the dirty ones, if any?
Well, I am worried that the society has negative impressions of members of Kannywood. Some people think we are cheap and therefore we can take any nonsense for money. Some others believe Kannywood is home for wayward actors and actresses. That is why if somebody comes to us for relationship and did not succeed in taking us to bed; the next thing he will come up with marriage issue.
Unfortunately, after the marriage he will look for excuses to break opt out. They will divorce us after getting or having access to our body.
Honestly, you are in better position to report positive things about us because you are almost a member of the industry. The painful part of the entire scenario is that there are several beautiful ladies, some from responsible homes out there prostituting, or into drugs and other vices, but the society prefers to beam its search light on us.
This will not augur well for all of us because the industry is very rich and generating revenue for government. It is making our culture and religion popular all over the world and millions of young men and the old depend on the industry for their livelihood.
Please, we are all in this together. So, project us positively because we are responsible professionals.
