Veteran Kannywood actress Wasila Isma'il has died at the age of 46 after a prolonged illness, passing away at FOMWAN Hospital in Kaduna on Sunday. Her former husband, Al-Amin Chiroma, confirmed her death via a social media post. Isma'il had been a prominent figure in the Hausa film industry since the late 1990s, a time when Kannywood was still establishing itself as a formal industry.
How Kannywood Started and Where She Fit In
Kannywood formally emerged in 1990 in Kano, two years before the southern-based Nollywood industry. The name 'Kannywood' was coined in 1999 by Shehu Sanusi Daneji, publisher of the Hausa entertainment magazine Tauraruwa, as a nod to Hollywood. By the time Isma'il entered the industry in 1998, it was growing rapidly and producing household names that northern Nigerian audiences would follow for decades. She made her debut with the film Jinin Masoya that same year, but it was her next project that defined her career.
The Film That Gave Her a Name
Cast in a 1999 production originally titled Jamila, Isma'il pushed back on the title before the film's release. 'I didn't like the name Jamila because I feared it might tarnish my name, so I asked for it to be changed, and the director agreed,' she said in a past interview. The film was renamed Wasila, directed by Yakubu Lere and starring Ali Nuhu, now the Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation. The movie became one of her most recognized works and the role she remained associated with throughout her career.
Outside Acting
Outside of film, Isma'il also built a separate career in broadcasting, working with Liberty Radio in Kaduna. This dual career made her a familiar presence to northern Nigerian audiences both on screen and on air. Ali Nuhu, her Wasila co-star, reacted to her death on Facebook: 'Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. May Allah have mercy on you and forgive you. May Allah grant your soul eternal rest. Amen.' Isma'il is survived by her family. She was 46.
