Halimar Abubakar means different things to
different people. While some appreciate her guts and skill, a number of
persons, especially from her Northern extraction take joy in discrediting
everything she represents. Irrespective of what people think of her choice of
career and dress sense, Halimar is gifted and extremely good at whatever role
she cast. In this interview with our Reporter, Lucy Eazee, she talks
about the low and high points of a career that has given her so much. Enjoy our
special weekend menu.
different people. While some appreciate her guts and skill, a number of
persons, especially from her Northern extraction take joy in discrediting
everything she represents. Irrespective of what people think of her choice of
career and dress sense, Halimar is gifted and extremely good at whatever role
she cast. In this interview with our Reporter, Lucy Eazee, she talks
about the low and high points of a career that has given her so much. Enjoy our
special weekend menu.
How did your interest in
acting develop?
acting develop?
As
a young girl, I would sit several hours watching movies. I just wanted to be
like them. In Kano, what we watched were mostly Indian movies. Thereafter, I
started watching Third Eye on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). That was
how I fell in love with acting.
a young girl, I would sit several hours watching movies. I just wanted to be
like them. In Kano, what we watched were mostly Indian movies. Thereafter, I
started watching Third Eye on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). That was
how I fell in love with acting.
How did you find your way into the movie industry?
I
met Francis Duru in Kano. He came for Night of a Thousand Laughs. That was many years ago. I walked up
to him and told him of my desire to be an actress. He gave me some addresses
and told me to go there whenever I was in Lagos. When I eventually came to
Lagos, I went for an audition. I didn’t get any job, so I went back to Kano.
Much later, I came back and was able to get a job, including lead roles. My
first lead role was actually Sisi in Gangstar Paradise.
met Francis Duru in Kano. He came for Night of a Thousand Laughs. That was many years ago. I walked up
to him and told him of my desire to be an actress. He gave me some addresses
and told me to go there whenever I was in Lagos. When I eventually came to
Lagos, I went for an audition. I didn’t get any job, so I went back to Kano.
Much later, I came back and was able to get a job, including lead roles. My
first lead role was actually Sisi in Gangstar Paradise.
Can you tell us about your movie?
Mistresses is a
movie based on relationships and its complexities. It was done in Lagos and
London. It centers on young people and seeks to expose the games ladies,
especially Nigerian women and men play in relationships. Yvonne Nelson, Moyo
Lawal and a host of other Nollywood stars featured in the movie.
movie based on relationships and its complexities. It was done in Lagos and
London. It centers on young people and seeks to expose the games ladies,
especially Nigerian women and men play in relationships. Yvonne Nelson, Moyo
Lawal and a host of other Nollywood stars featured in the movie.
Is there really anything like gender discrimination in
Nollywood?
Nollywood?
There
are times you are given a role and producers decide to change the character to
a guy, even when the script was written with a woman in mind. I have
worked with someone who changed a role. He probably felt I could not do it but
at least, he should have offered the role to another girl instead, he gave the
role to a guy. To me, that was not good at all.
are times you are given a role and producers decide to change the character to
a guy, even when the script was written with a woman in mind. I have
worked with someone who changed a role. He probably felt I could not do it but
at least, he should have offered the role to another girl instead, he gave the
role to a guy. To me, that was not good at all.
You are one of the few northerners in the movie industry; how
come you made it so fast?
come you made it so fast?
Oh
yes. Even when they wanted me to leave, I refused. I guess I have this die-hard
spirit. I don’t believe in quitting. I try very hard to stay stable and be
myself. That has kept me going in this industry.
yes. Even when they wanted me to leave, I refused. I guess I have this die-hard
spirit. I don’t believe in quitting. I try very hard to stay stable and be
myself. That has kept me going in this industry.
What encouraged you to become an actress, knowing the sentiments
of people from your side of the country?
of people from your side of the country?
I
started acting when I was in my teens. The awareness then was not that much.
People didn’t really know much about movies up in the North then. It was after
the millennium that people started being aware of the movie industry. When I
started, I didn’t have a problem until people started making big issues out of
nothing; even in those things that should not elicit any kind of
reaction. Because of the way those things were eventually blown out of
proportion, people were forced to take note. This expectedly brought
controversies and bad comments from people. Basically, I don’t think it is a
problem. When you are given a job to do, I guess you are supposed to do it very
well.
started acting when I was in my teens. The awareness then was not that much.
People didn’t really know much about movies up in the North then. It was after
the millennium that people started being aware of the movie industry. When I
started, I didn’t have a problem until people started making big issues out of
nothing; even in those things that should not elicit any kind of
reaction. Because of the way those things were eventually blown out of
proportion, people were forced to take note. This expectedly brought
controversies and bad comments from people. Basically, I don’t think it is a
problem. When you are given a job to do, I guess you are supposed to do it very
well.
You have really had your fair share of controversies.
Some
people would have built ten houses out of those controversies. Well, I don’t
know if I am controversial. I am a very good girl. I don’t set out to bring
controversy to myself. I just go about my life in a normal way. If you think
that is controversial, I don’t have any thing to say to that.
people would have built ten houses out of those controversies. Well, I don’t
know if I am controversial. I am a very good girl. I don’t set out to bring
controversy to myself. I just go about my life in a normal way. If you think
that is controversial, I don’t have any thing to say to that.
Was your career affected by the scandals?
Oh,
yes it did. A lot of producers didn’t want to work with me. They used to see me
as a very decent quiet girl. For them to see those pictures, it was very
shocking to them. It took me some years to convince them that I can act very
well. I am not all about snapping pictures and modelling. I am still trying to
convince some of them. I refused to quit the industry like I told you before.
That consistency sort of helped me out. I have built relationships again.
yes it did. A lot of producers didn’t want to work with me. They used to see me
as a very decent quiet girl. For them to see those pictures, it was very
shocking to them. It took me some years to convince them that I can act very
well. I am not all about snapping pictures and modelling. I am still trying to
convince some of them. I refused to quit the industry like I told you before.
That consistency sort of helped me out. I have built relationships again.
Are you married or into any relationship?
Oh!
Do you have any husband for me? How old do you think I am? Is it because I have
been in the industry for a long time? Anyway, if I see a man I have a
strong connection with, I will get married. I am not saying I am young;
probably I am being childish about the whole thing and I am not taking this
issue serious. But I tell you, when I meet the man I know is good for me,
nobody will tell me to get married. I would want to spend the rest of my life
with that guy. Right now, guys in Nigeria are players. I don’t have strength
for their wahala. Guys are very stingy. They don’t give ladies money these
days. I work and I get paid. I am comfortable. I have a very big farm, although
my father manages it for me.
Do you have any husband for me? How old do you think I am? Is it because I have
been in the industry for a long time? Anyway, if I see a man I have a
strong connection with, I will get married. I am not saying I am young;
probably I am being childish about the whole thing and I am not taking this
issue serious. But I tell you, when I meet the man I know is good for me,
nobody will tell me to get married. I would want to spend the rest of my life
with that guy. Right now, guys in Nigeria are players. I don’t have strength
for their wahala. Guys are very stingy. They don’t give ladies money these
days. I work and I get paid. I am comfortable. I have a very big farm, although
my father manages it for me.
Would you marry an actor?
No.
I don’t think I will marry an actor. I like career guys. I am not saying acting
is not a career. I want to marry a guy that will wake up in the morning and go
to his office and come back later in the evening. I don’t think I have that
heart for actors or musicians. My head would just be spinning and would be
asking myself what he was doing at every point in time. Ha! I can’t marry an
actor. The girls involved are too many. I don’t have such strength. Moreover, I
have not seen that actor that would make me change my mind about marrying one.
I don’t think I will marry an actor. I like career guys. I am not saying acting
is not a career. I want to marry a guy that will wake up in the morning and go
to his office and come back later in the evening. I don’t think I have that
heart for actors or musicians. My head would just be spinning and would be
asking myself what he was doing at every point in time. Ha! I can’t marry an
actor. The girls involved are too many. I don’t have such strength. Moreover, I
have not seen that actor that would make me change my mind about marrying one.
What was the most regrettable thing that happened to
you?
you?
All
the controversies! I wish they never happened. I wish people didn’t get to hear
all those negative things, which were lies anyway. Then again, some of the
friends I had in the past, I wish I never had them. I shouldn’t have been seen
with them in the first place.
the controversies! I wish they never happened. I wish people didn’t get to hear
all those negative things, which were lies anyway. Then again, some of the
friends I had in the past, I wish I never had them. I shouldn’t have been seen
with them in the first place.
Are these ‘friends’ in your industry?
Oh,
yes. Some of them are. They say one thing in my presence and go out to say
another thing. I don’t want to talk about all those stuff on the pages of the
newspapers. I want to let bygones be bygones. Some of the scandals came from
people that know me. I don’t want anything to drag me down.
yes. Some of them are. They say one thing in my presence and go out to say
another thing. I don’t want to talk about all those stuff on the pages of the
newspapers. I want to let bygones be bygones. Some of the scandals came from
people that know me. I don’t want anything to drag me down.
Did the scandals affect your love life then?
Oh,
no! The guy I was dating at the time was extremely wonderful. Unfortunately, he
died. I don’t want to dwell on how he died. Life moves on. I am still grateful
that he was there for me in the first place. I know many guys wouldn’t have
done what he did for me and I also have a better guy now.
no! The guy I was dating at the time was extremely wonderful. Unfortunately, he
died. I don’t want to dwell on how he died. Life moves on. I am still grateful
that he was there for me in the first place. I know many guys wouldn’t have
done what he did for me and I also have a better guy now.
Do you dress this ‘hot’ in Kano?
No.
I dress responsibly. In fact, am I not looking responsible now? Anyway, in
Kano, you cannot dress like I am dressed now. I wear native dresses. When I go
to Kano, I behave like the responsible child that I am. I have a suitcase
filled with native dresses. When I go to Kano, I wear them.
I dress responsibly. In fact, am I not looking responsible now? Anyway, in
Kano, you cannot dress like I am dressed now. I wear native dresses. When I go
to Kano, I behave like the responsible child that I am. I have a suitcase
filled with native dresses. When I go to Kano, I wear them.
Is it not hypocrisy?
It
is not. I wear native dresses here as well. I don’t wear them daily. But I make
sure I dress like that every Friday.
is not. I wear native dresses here as well. I don’t wear them daily. But I make
sure I dress like that every Friday.
You are a Muslim?
Yes.
I am a hip-hop Muslim. I was actually born a Muslim but I still go to
church. I actually finished reading the Koran, nobody should try me. My
religion is in my heart. I don’t have to carry it on my face; that is
hypocrisy. My beliefs are there. I am indifferent. I make my hair and I wear
good clothes. I want to look good in as much as I am serving God.
I am a hip-hop Muslim. I was actually born a Muslim but I still go to
church. I actually finished reading the Koran, nobody should try me. My
religion is in my heart. I don’t have to carry it on my face; that is
hypocrisy. My beliefs are there. I am indifferent. I make my hair and I wear
good clothes. I want to look good in as much as I am serving God.
Culled from Daily Independent
