KANNYWOOD: I am ready to pay for damages to get my scenes removed – Yakubu Mohammed to film producer, Kingsley Orji Anosike

Kannywood actor, Yakubu Mohammed , has expressed regrets for featuring in a Nollywood film titled ‘ ‘Fatal Arrogance’ and has asked the makers to remove the scenes he appeared in.

Popular Nigerian Actor, Pete Edochie, plays the lead role in the film, which was shot in Enugu and produced by Anosike Kingsley Orji.

The film’s behind-the-scenes and a 12-minute-clip from the set are already generating controversy, especially among members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Shiites.

In a statement published on their official Facebook page on Tuesday, the group said they were shocked by the film ‘‘where the popular Islamic Movement in Nigeria and its leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky are being depicted and badly portrayed as terrorists.’’

Mr Mohammed told BBC Hausa that he regretted appearing in the movie, even though he tried to persuade the filmmakers to correct some things in the movie he feels will not go down well by many people, especially in Northern Nigeria.

“I never knew some of the scenes in the film will be portrayed in that manner. I only acted (in) my scenes, which I appeared six times in different places. In the film I was shot, and later died.

“It was a film that showed the clash between Nigerian Army and members of the Shiite movement in Zaria, and many members of the group were killed. When I read the script, I saw nothing castigating Islam in it, but you know script can change at some point, that was what happened.

Mr Mohammed also said he has asked the producer to remove him from the film, and that he is ready to pay the producers damages for doing that.

“I have told the producer to remove all my scenes in the movie, that I am ready to pay for damages, which is what the rule says.”

According to the actor, the producers told him that the film was sponsored by an NGO.

“Yes, nobody threatens me but I have seen how people on social media pages are abusing and calling (me) names for appearing in the film.”

Mr Mohammed had also said “there is a place that every Muslim, if he sees it, must be concerned. There is a photo of Mr Pete Edochie walking around in a Muslim dress, with a bottle of beer in his hand and with a girl.’’

“I really regretted appearing in that movie.”

People who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday said the film should not be released at all and insisted that Mr Mohammed get himself out from the film.

“This is Northern Nigeria, and you know how our people think about things like this. For a film coming from the Eastern part of the country, and wrongly putting Islam in a negative way, that will not be accepted here.

“So, for me, the best thing that will happen is for the film not (to) be released and Yakubu should make sure he is not in that film. People will not understand him, especially the Shiite movement,” a social media commentator, (Abubakar) Hassan, said.

Kabiru Rabiu, a resident of Hotoro in Kano, told PREMIUM TIMES that justice was not done to Islam and IMN.

“I don’t share (the) same belief with the Shiite followers but it is beyond the group. They did not put Islam in a good limelight. The producers should have liaised with core Northern producers when writing the script and even during production. For me, that film should better be dropped” Mr Rabiu said.

Another resident of Zaria, Kaduna state, Kasim Bala said, ” I don’t know what is in the film, but it is totally wrong for an Igbo man to make film base on a book that talks about Islam and Muslim, especial in Nigeria, without consulting Muslim filmmakers to help with some scene.

“They way (they) see things is not what it is here. Yakubu should save himself and make sure he is not in that film. Thank God it is not out, it would have been another thing now.

Some commentators, who also spoke to our reporter, said it was an agenda by the Igbos to put Islam and the North in a bad spirit while some insisted that the film should not be released and advised Mr Mohammed to disassociate himself from the film.