MU’AZU’S SECOND TENURE: Democracy Dividends As World Bank Invests $20M In The Industry

By Al-Aminc Ciroma

(published in LEADERSHIP Newspapers, July 25, 2009)

At the end of its tenure, the Sani Mu’azu-led Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) was unanimously accorded a vote of confidence for a second term. This was inclusive in the bi-annual delegates’ conference held in Kano last week.

The event, which took place at Mumbayya House, Aminu Kano Heritage, Kano, hosted all delegates of the umbrella body of Kannywood. All the delegates hailed the good governance of the present administration of MOPPAN.

Shortly after the welcome address by the president, the organisation’s secretary-general, Dr. Umar Faruk Jibrin, highlighted achivements recorded by the administration under the leadership of Mu'azu. He described the leadership of Mu’azu as the best thing that ever happened to the industry.

However, shortly after taking oath for the second tenure, Sani Mu’azu announced the vacant posts that needed to be filled. First was the position of vice president 1, which was formerly managed by Dr. Ahmad Mohammad Sarari, who now picked up an appointment with the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) as its zonal director, North East Zone. He described Sarari as a hardworking and committed member of MOPPAN. He said, Sarari was one of the pillars behind most successes recorded by his administration, describing his appointment as success not only for him, but for the entire practitioners in the industry. The position was taking over by Mallam Khalid Musa, who was formerly the MOPPAN chairman of Kano chapter.

Equally, Alhaji Sa’idu Gwanja was elected as the new treasurer, succeeding Hajiya Balaraba Rahmat, who completed two consecutive tenures. She was also unanimously voted as an ex-officio of the organisation, considering the she transparently managed public funds.

Reacting on the vote of confidence accorded to his administration by his colleagues, Alhaji Sani Mu’azu expressed his delightness for the confidence his colleague have on him, stating that it is quite encouraging for one to be appreciated. I term what happened at the delegates’ conference as motivating factor towards gingering us for further challenges’’.

Earlier, the first business of the day was an interactive session with officials of the World Bank development fund. Their mission, according to Mu'azu, was to harbour suggestions from the movie stakeholders on how to invest in the industry.

He said: World bank is ready to invest a wooping sum of $20m into the industry in Nigeria. "The funds are not only restricted to Hausa film industry, but for the whole nation. We were asked to profer suggestions as to how the fund will best be invested, where we equally gave them our inputs."

In his assertions, the MOPPAN boss said his organisation suggested to the officials, to consider the establishment of resort centre in Kano.

Said he, "The resort centre will include a film school, production and facility centre. We also suggested that there is need for them to work with the commercial banks so that the filmmakers will access the funds from such banks in form of soft loans."

Reacting, the officials were delighted at the wonderful input of Kannywood stakeholders, and promised to respond positively.