Renowned Kannywood actor and respected elder in the Hausa film industry, Kabiru Nakwango, has formally announced his retirement from acting, declaring that he will no longer participate in any film productions.
In a statement that has stirred conversations across the industry, Nakwango lamented the departure of modern Hausa films from the core cultural values that once defined them.
“Tabbas na fita daga masana’antar shirya fina-finan Hausa har abada,” he declared, meaning "Indeed, I am leaving the Hausa film industry for good."
Explaining his decision, Nakwango said:
“Bazan sake fitowa a film ba saboda a yanzu harkar film din ta saɓa da irin yadda mukayi ta a baya. Fina-finan yanzu basa maida hankali wajen ɗabbaƙa al’adar Hausa, sai dai aro wasu al’adu da mu bazamu iya ba.”
("I will no longer appear in films because the industry today is no longer what it used to be. Current productions do not focus on promoting Hausa culture, but instead borrow foreign cultural elements that are not ours.")
His exit marks the end of an era for many fans who admired his contribution to the early days of Kannywood, when films were widely praised for upholding Hausa traditions, values, and social norms.
Industry watchers say Nakwango’s statement is a wake-up call to filmmakers to return to the roots of culturally rich and morally grounded storytelling that once defined Hausa cinema.
