By Shamwil Ibrahim (Justice)
Dauda Kahutu Rarara, I have one question for you: after all your years in Kannywood, is Triple R really the best name you could come up with?
Creativity should mean more than having a popular name, a large following, or the ability to attract attention. It should also mean having the imagination to create something distinctive, something people can associate with your vision without immediately thinking of an established historical legacy.
There is something about the name Triple R Kannywood for Renewed Hope Initiative that deserves more than a passing glance. For anyone familiar with Nigeria’s history, the name immediately brings to mind the Three Rs introduced under General Yakubu Gowon’s government after the Nigerian Civil War: Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.
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Rarara, did nobody on your team pause to consider the historical association before settling on this name? Was there no alternative that could give the initiative a more distinctive identity? Or has the standard for creativity in our entertainment industry fallen so low that a name only needs to sound appealing to be accepted?
That is what troubles me.
Kannywood is built on storytelling, music, imagination and expression. Its artists understand the power of words and the importance of creating things that capture people’s attention. Yet the name of this association has left the public asking why a concept so closely associated with an important chapter of Nigeria’s history has resurfaced in this form.
If you want people to take your initiative seriously, give them a reason to see it as something genuinely distinctive. Do not expect applause simply because your name is attached to it.
You have spent years building your reputation, Rarara. One would expect that experience to be reflected in the ideas associated with your name. Instead, the choice of Triple R has raised an obvious question: why this name, when there are so many possibilities available?
I am not claiming that the resemblance proves deliberate copying. I am questioning why a public figure with your experience would choose a name that immediately invites comparison with an established historical policy. That is a legitimate question, and it deserves a serious answer.
Unfortunately, public discussions in Nigeria sometimes confuse criticism with hatred. The moment a popular figure is questioned, some supporters rush to defend the person without addressing the issue itself. That attitude does little to encourage accountability or improve the quality of ideas in our creative industry.
Popularity is not a substitute for originality. Influence is not proof of creativity. And being famous should never place anyone beyond public scrutiny.
Kannywood needs people who can think beyond the familiar. It needs fresh identities, bold ideas and individuals who understand that influence comes with responsibility. We should challenge our creative people to raise their standards rather than lower our expectations because they have become popular.
So, Rarara, what informed this choice? Was the historical connection considered? What makes Triple R the right identity for your association? And what distinguishes it from the concept Nigerians have known for decades?
These are fair questions. You may disagree with my criticism, but that does not make the questions themselves unreasonable.
My concern is not that you have established an association. My concern is that an opportunity to demonstrate originality has produced a name that invites an immediate comparison with history.
If we cannot question the choices of influential figures in our entertainment industry, then what exactly are we allowed to question?
Kannywood deserves creativity. The public deserves explanations. And those who occupy influential positions should be prepared to defend their decisions.
TRIPLE R. WHY THIS NAME? WHY NOT SOMETHING DISTINCTIVELY YOUR OWN?
Shamwil Ibrahim (Justice)
Email:[email protected]
Phone number: 08106200919
