HAUSA MOVIES AND ITS
NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE
SOCIETY
Hausa language is one of the
largest ethnic groups in West
Africa, chiefly located in northern
Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Benin and
some parts of Togo, Burkina Faso,
and Cote d’ Ivory with approximate
number of 63 million speakers in
West Africa.
Islam has been present in Hausa
land since 14th century; the Hausa
people have been an important
factor for the spread of Islam in
West Africa and other parts of
black continent. For this, their own
ways of doing things ought to be
distinguished.
Generally, film is a combination of
three things namely: education,
information and entertainment, but
Hausa film stress mainly on
entertainment, and its negative
influence are vast, it affects many
people spiritually, emotionally,
psychologically and physically,
also one negative influence
triggers to another and that causes
a chain in reaction leading to
destruction of relationship and
morals.
Hausa movie affects peoples’ life
negatively, the way they act, talk
and think, it has profound influence
on the behaviour of its audience.
When people try to imitate
something, they had seen or
heard, they unconsciously follow
their footsteps and often imitate
their role model blindly, and
because they are heroes in the
youths mind, they are still
celebrated despite the bad
deportment they have been
showing to public.
It has however, been observed
that, children nowadays do not do
the same activities as children
before, instead of reading books,
going to Islamic school
(MAKARANTAR ALLO), playing
outdoors with other children and
engaging in social activities, they
end up being cooped up inside a
room watching Hausa movie which
is only portrayed in Hausa
language, but totally contradicts
with the morals, ethics, and
traditional way of the Hausa man.
The movie to some extent
challenges the stereotype of
Hausawa for obvious reasons,
Hausawa are known for their
shyness, gentility and moderation
in dress and manner. The film is a
plagiarism of American, Indian, and
Nigerian movies in Hausa dialect.
All these movies are opposed to
the social life of Hausawa.
Another negative influence of the
movie is the lyrical music and
dancing in which the celebrity
dresses and dances in an un-
Islamic way, having teenagers
copying them and doing as they
do. The must incomprehensive part
of the scene is that, the more a
hero or heroine dresses in a film,
the more they are imitated in the
name of modernization of fashion
and civilization.
The movie is also engaged in
gender imbalance which is not
prevalent in Hausa community;
females mix up and interact with
males as if they are all legitimate to
one another.
Furthermore, instead of the film
having multifarious themes, it is
centered on only one theme i.e.
love, (SOYAYYA) and nothing else
for human development and
orientation, it simply shows that
Hausawa are doves
(TANTABARU), who are born
husbands and wives, or born to
love and to be loved.
What Hausawa need to be aware
of, is that most of their decisions,
beliefs, and values are based on
what is known from the teachings
of Holy Qur’an and the noble
prophet S.A.W, unfortunately, none
of the teachings is critically
observed in today’s film.
In conclusion, parents and
guardians must be very vigilant to
minimize the negative influence of
Hausa film by being responsible
towards themselves and other
people, especially the youths and
children who are easily. targeted
by their temptation. May Allah see
us through
By: Anas Yunus Muhammad
Al-Azhar University, Cairo-Egypt.
Languages and Translation
English Literature.
December 14, 2011