Popular Hausa language musician, Sadiq Zazzabi, will on Wednesday appear before a court in Kano in a case instituted against him by the Kano State Censors Board (KSCB).
His arraignment is linked to a song titled ‘Maza Bayan Ka’ he did in honour of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Kwankwaso and incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje have been at odds with each other, and their supporters have often clashed.
The musician had earlier raised an alarm that he was being deprived of his freedom of expression by the KSCB, through the Department of State Service (DSS).
He said he was invited by the DSS after submitting the song to the censors’ board, but the secret police did not detain him because there was no case established against him.
Speaking on the genesis of his travail, Zazzabi said: “It happened weeks ago when I intended to unveil my latest song, in which I praised my political idol, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“I organised an award ceremony to honour him and other ‘Kwankwasiyya’ movement members.
“I used that opportunity and unveil the song, but prior to that event, I submitted my song to the board for censoring, because I don’t want to be seen as a law breaker.”
While the musician says he is being targeted because of his support for Kwankwaso, the state government accuses him of violating censorship laws.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Zazzabi said the charge against him was because he sang for the former governor, not because he did not get approval from the board.
“Every singer has his hero, and my hero is Kwankwaso. I sang an album for him which I sent to the Kano State Censors Board on the 6 of January, 2017.
“The censors’ board censored my song and asked that I will need to remove some part of the music. They never sent the part they wanted out till today,” he said.
Chairman of the board, Ismaila Afakallahu, however, insists, the singer launched the song before getting approval certificate.
“Yes he actually brought the song for censorship and before we can grant him a certificate of approval he went ahead to launch the song. For doing that he has faulted the censors’ board rule and we are charging him for that.
“Censoring a movie or song can take up to three weeks or more depending on the complexity of the song or film.”
Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau, was suspended indefinitely by the Kano based Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) in October 2016 for an innocuous hug in the video of a song Jos based rapper, ClassiQ.
Zazzabi and Sadau are ambassadors of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation.
