Leading Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau, who was banned for hugging and cuddling rapper, ClassiQ, in a music video has apologised to those offended by her action.
The 22-year-old was expelled from the Hausa-language film industry on Sunday by the Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) which said the video violates its code of ethics.
Although her performance in the video is considered demure by the more liberal Nollywood, stakeholders in the Muslim dominated northern Nigeria said the ban would serve as a deterrent to other actors and actresses who are “expected to be good ambassadors of the society they represent”.
Taking a veiled dig at those whom she said took the “unilateral decision to exclude me from the Hausa indigenous film industry”, Rahama said in a statement on Tuesday that “I was carrying out my role in my profession, as I would in any other production, be it a Hausa language film or a Nollywood production.”
She maintained that “innocuous touching with other people in my line of work is inevitable and that “I have lines that I would never cross and indeed I live and stand by the tenets, ‘actions are judged according to intentions’”.
Rahama, who was once suspended for alleging that popular Kannywood actor, Adamu Zango, demanded sex from her for a movie role, added that the “outcome of the events that have taken place has come as a surprise to us all.
“I may have fallen short of some people’s expectations, but it was never my intention.
“I make no excuses for my actions and I take full responsibility.”
While thanking “all those who have reached out at this time and to everyone in general for your unwavering support”, she implored “all to be more tolerant and forgiving towards one another and to cease all the senseless abuse, name-calling and backbiting”.
This, she said “achieves nothing other than to cause a huge divide amongst us.”
Kannywood is constantly under fire from Islamic clerics who accuse it of corrupting people’s value.
A proposed N3bn film village in Kano was scrapped in July after protesters said the project would promote immorality.
