Fati Isa is Marghi by tribe and she hails from Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State. She was born in 1995 about 27years ago, in Jaji Military Cantonment because her Late Father was in the army and she was able to visit several parts of the country because of that reason.
After her primary education, she attended Rokus Private School, Senior Model College, Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri and graduated from the University of Maiduguri, Fati Isa lost her father in a fire disaster that gutted their resident when her father was serving in Kogi attached to the then Military Administrator Brigadier General Nzigu Afakriya, then the family had to move to Maiduguri to continue with their life, their Late father was married to two women and left behind about 15 children.
Fatima Isa who joined Kannywood about a year ago after relocating to Kano has become so successful through the assistance of Kannywood stakeholders like Zubby King and others, have so far featured in high profile films like Tubalin Toka, State of Emergency, Idonki Idona, Kudin Fansa, The Legacy and in Dadin Kowa, she is also featuring as a Nurse, right now, she has several scripts of films some real-life, others fiction that she intends to produce with her own money if she did not get sponsors.
Recently, she spoke with Kano correspondent of Neptune Prime, Saleh Inuwa in which they discussed several issues including marriage, challenges, constraints, her future plans, the alleged cases of sexual harassment in Kannywood and a host of other issues.
EXCERPTS OF THE INTERVIEW
Neptune Prime: Let us start by meeting you formally, who is Fati Isa?
Fati Isa: Well, I am Marghi by tribe and I was born in 1995 inside Jaji Military Cantonment because my late father was a Military Personnel, I am now 27 years old after my primary and secondary education, I secured admission into Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education Maiduguri and later graduated from University of Maiduguri.
NP: Borno is one state that is far back in Education, here you are a graduate from the University of Maiduguri, highly intelligent and articulate, why did you venture into acting instead of going for Higher Education pursuit to assist your state?
Fati Isa: Well, even when I was young, one of my teachers used to call me a special reporter, I used to read before a congregation of my colleagues, initially, my intention was to read Mass Communication and become a journalist preferably a Newscaster because I can tell you, if given the chance, I will be a first-class broadcaster, but I also have passion for acting and after we lost our father, and relocated to Maiduguri, I sought my mother’s approval to allow me to relocate to Kano and pursue a career in Kannywood, she graciously accepted and when I came here, I met people like Zuby King that I knew before and other stakeholders in Kannywood who assisted me and so far, I featured in several films including in Dadin Kowa where I am featuring as a Nurse. Funny enough one day, some women came to my house with a female patient for me to treat her because the way I was acting as a Nurse in Dadin Kowa, they thought that I am a Nurse by training, later I explained to them that I was only acting, I am not a Nurse.
NP: What do you have to tell us about your family background?
Fati Isa: Well, our father’s last place of service was Kogi State where he was attached to the then Military Administrator of Kogi State Brigadier General Nzigu Afakriya, later we were involved in a fire incident and our father lost his life in the process, he died leaving behind, 2 wives and 15 children, that is my story but fortunately for me, I was able to read up to University Level, and one of the reasons I joined Kannywood is not only to be a celebrity, to make money or to be a household name but to give the industry a very positive image because some look at actors in Kannywood and Nollywood as school dropouts, when I started, my first appearance before the camera was so excellent that the other crew on location thought I have been acting before, honestly I felt normal and there was nothing like anxiety.
NP: What about marriage?
Fati Isa: Yes, I am a single mother of four children, two beautiful girls and two handsome boys, I married before but separated from my former husband but as a Muslim, if by destiny I meet somebody that is sincere and caring, I will prefer to marry again immediately, no woman will want to remain single especially when you have come of age, with understanding, I can even marry somebody who will allow me to be doing other businesses and also continue with film production, presently, I have scripts I personally wrote, some true-life story while others are fiction which I intend to produce into films if I get a sponsor or using my own resources to actualize my dream of being a producer.
NP: How about challenges, because in your own case, you made it so fast, did you compromise your body to be successful?
Fati Isa: The truth is there is no segment of the society that today you don’t find bad eggs. If you talk of moral corruption or sexual harassment you may not be far from the truth, even banks give their staff a benchmark of how much they will generate or of how many they will get for the bank before their appointments should be confirmed, the meaning here is that go and use your body and get us customers, but since I came here, maybe that why my successes are not as fast as it should be but nobody has approached me with these demands, I did not join Kannywood to make it by hook or crook, I have children, I am a Muslim, I am in a respected society so I mind my business not to embarrass myself.
NP: Tell us your saddest moment?
Fati Isa: Well, they are many and some are better forgotten because even if I continue remembering them, I cannot reverse the hand of the clock, but my happiest moments in the industry include when I first appeared on Dadin Kowa and people were calling my family tell them they saw me in Dadin Kowa and that the sky is my limit because my acting skills were excellent, since then, I continued marching forward by getting more offers of films to feature in, and like I told you earlier, I will also combine acting with film production, in fact, if my children after their education indicate interest to join Kannywood, I will allow them.
NP: Tell us what you like and what you hate in life?
Fati Isa: Backbiting, meaning I hate gossip or people that will prefer talking about you behind you, but these days, we have good people in Kannywood, the industry is expanding more educated people are coming in, and we are in a position to compete with Nollywood and Ghallywood.
NP: On a lighter mood, tell us your best food?
Fati Isa: My best food, I like tea and Marghi special, you are from Borno and I am sure you know Marghi special, I even have it in my house in Kano, so I will challenge anybody who is of the opinion that we Kannywood actresses after marriage does not stay put, on slightest excuse, we will run away, it’s not true, Mansura Isah is happily married to Sani Danja for years, Muhibbat Abdulsalam is married to Hassan Giggs for years, Fati Ladan is married to Yerima Shetima, Safiya Musa is happily married, Ummi Shehu is happily married, Maryam Hiyana is also happily married and they are all products of Kannywood so, please give us positive image instead of crucifying us for the industry to have respect and grow.
