A former Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria and a renowned scholar of media and cultural studies, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, has decried the limited thematic scope of Hausa films, blaming public expectations and censorship regulations for stifling creativity and critical storytelling in the industry.

In an exclusive interview with SolaceBase, Professor Abdalla expressed concern over what he described as a repetitive focus on romantic and domestic storylines, often centred on polygamous households.

He said this narrow trend, often termed as the “domestic ecology,” has dominated Hausa cinema due to societal resistance to more complex and realistic portrayals of contemporary issues.

“People criticize Kannywood for focusing too much on romance. But filmmakers are playing it safe. They fear backlash from the censorship board and the public if they touch on sensitive but real issues like gang violence, cultism, irregular migration, or abuse faced by young Nigerians in countries like Saudi Arabia,” he explained.

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Professor Adamu also blamed the board for applying the outdated hypodermic needle theory, which assumes that viewers mimic what they see on screen.

According to him, this belief has led the board to restrict content that reflects social ills, even when such portrayals could raise awareness or spark reform.

“The censorship board is worried that films about crime or migration might inspire similar actions. But showing gangland warfare doesn’t mean someone will copy it. Instead, it can serve as a wake-up call to society,” he argued.

He added that Hausa filmmakers do have the capacity to explore these broader themes, but they are held back by both formal censorship and informal pressures from conservative public culture, which discourages experimental or controversial storytelling.

“In our society, sometimes you don’t even need a censorship board to limit creativity. Public condemnation from neighbors or community groups is enough to scare filmmakers away from tackling real issues,” Adamu noted.

He cited the example of A Duniya, a Hausa film that addressed themes like exploitation, child abuse, and corruption among the poor.

However, even such groundbreaking projects, he said, often get derailed or muted due to social backlash.

Professor Adamu also highlighted the transition of Hausa filmmakers from traditional DVD sales to digital platforms like YouTube, which has helped them reach global audiences and monetize their content.

Despite this progress, he said, the content remains overwhelmingly romantic because of fear of regulatory penalties—even online.

“In May 2025, the censorship board extended its control to online films, so now even digital content is under scrutiny. That has pushed filmmakers further into the safe territory of domestic stories,” he said.

While acknowledging that the popularity of Hausa series on platforms like Africa Magic has elevated the visibility of the language and some aspects of culture, Professor Adamu lamented that the deeper social realities of Hausa life—poverty, exploitation, migration struggles—remain largely absent from the screen.

“Hausa filmmakers are not uncreative. They have the ideas. But the system does not allow them to tell the stories that matter,” he concluded.