Adam Zango! 40 interesting facts about this Kannywood giant you may not know

One very big name in Nigeria’s movie industry who started his career from the scratch by playing very low-key roles is Adam Zango. This is one of the biggest names in the Hausa language movie industry in Nigeria called Kannywood. The name Adam Zango is a major brand in Kannywood but to know he started from the scratch to grow to the mega level he is today as the most captivating talent in Kannywod is amazing. Adam Zango could be described as the most missed personality in Nigeria’s enter movie industry, as millions of his fans are praying fervently everyday to see him return to the big screens of Kannywood.

Born Adamu Abdullahi in 1985, Adam Zango, is a multi-talented Nigerian singer, songwriter and multiple award-winning actor. He was born in Zango local government in Kaduna state, to the family of Mallam Abdullahi and Hajiya Yelwa Abdullahi. Adam left town in 1992 after a tribal clash that made the environment insecure for him to continue. He then moved to Plateau State where he had his early education. Adam later went to Kano where he started working for a music and dance company. He is popularly known as Gwaska or Usher, a nickname he got as a kid because he was a very good dancer. His growing up was very humble and his hard work and doggedness paid off at last. Today he is a actor, producer, script writer, dancer, director and singer. He is in fact, among the most influential celebrities from Northern Nigeria.

Here are some quick facts about Adam Zango you may not have known.

 

1. He was born Adamu Abdullahi

2. He was born on October 1, 1985

3. His father was a blacksmith

4. He was born in Kaduna State but he grew up in Jos where he had his primary and secondary education

5. He attended Loranto Secondary School, Jos, Plateau state

6. He was once the best Hausa rap artist in Nigeria

7. He began his career in the Kannywood industry in 2001 as a music composer

8. His favourite food is Semovita with Miyar Kuka, as revealed by his cousin, Lawal Idiya Usman, in an interview.

9. The movie that won him international award in the UK was Gwaska

10. He acted in the movie Gwaska with Ali Nuhu

11. He won Best actor award from UK organization

12. He paid N46.75 million as three-year scholarship for 101 students most of whom were orphans to study at Professor Ango Abdullahi International School, Zaria

13. He was recognized as the Philanthropist of the year by a Lagos based organization

14. He was once remanded in prison custody for violating the censorship Board’s law in 2007 for release of his music video album, Bahaushiya.

15. His first movie was Surfani

16. He was also appointed INEC youth Ambassador in 2015.

17. He is reported to have been married six times – Safiya (2019), Amina (2006), A’isha, Maryam, Maryam Abdullahi Yola (2013), Ummul Kulsum (2015), Safiya (2019).

18. He is said to have been divorced five times, according to reports

19. One of his ex-wives, Ummul, is a Cameroonian

20. He acted in a movie, Nas, with one of his ex-wives, Maryam, shortly before he wedded her. They had played role as a couple in that movie.

21. He was once accused by a popular cleric in Kaduna of recruiting underage girls to feature in his movie ‘Sabon Sarki’, an allegation which he denied.

22. He started a new movie industry in Kaduna called Kaddywood.

23. He began his entertainment career in secondary school.

24. He got his nick name Gwaska after acting in the movie, Gwaska, which fetched him international recognition from the UK.

25. He was nicknamed Usher as a young boy because he was a very skillful dancer.

26. He announced his withdrawal from Kannywood industry sometime in 2019 after alleging that his colleagues were envious of his successes.

27. He is a gymnast and footballer.

28. He released a song on Coronavirus which became an instant hit during the lock down.

29. He was once sued by another popular Kannywood actor, Ali Nuhu for defamation of character and false accusation after Zango accused Nuhu of backing his supporters to abuse his (Zango’s) mother.

30. He is popularly called Prince Zango, Fresh Prince, or Prince of the North.

31. He once had altercation in public with another star Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau in 2016. She had accused him of wanting a relationship with her so she could get a role in his movie, an allegation Zango denied. The lady eventually said they had settled their differences and moved on as best friends.

32. He was invited by the Hausa community in France to perform in Paris in 2018.

33. He is popularly called Arewa Davido because of his distinguishing achievements in music with his Hausa songs as one of the best in the industry.

34. He once invited five of his fans to join him in an all-expense paid fun trip to Lagos on invitation of Amstel Malta.

35. He launched his recording studio in Kano in 2016.

36. His hit song, Mailaya, which was released in 2016 was the highest grossing Kannywood album throughout that year.

37. He showered his fans with gifts in 2017 after hounouring them with a grand reception in Kano during the premiere of his film ‘Gwaska Returns’. Fans got awards and gifts including T-Shirts, watches and many other good stuffs.

38. He is the owner of popular Prince Zango Productions Limited, a movie production company which is behind several major hit movies in Kannywood.

39. His production company, Prince Zango Production Limited, reportedly generates over $3.21 million in sales (USD) annually.

40. He once worked for a music and dance company in Kano while coming up as a young talent.