By Ojima-ojo Abubakar
Wasila Isma’il, the Nigerian actress famous for her roles in the Hausa film industry, has passed away at the age of 46.
Her death was announced by Al Amin Chiroma, her ex-husband, in an Instagram post on Sunday.
According to Chiroma, the actress died at the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN) hospital in Kaduna.
He also prayed that God grant her eternal rest.
“Innalillahi Wainna Ilaihirrajiun. Wasila Isma’il is dead. She died at the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria Hospital, Kaduna,” he wrote.
Although the exact cause of her death was not disclosed, sources indicate that Isma’il had battled an undisclosed illness for some time.
Isma’il was one of the most recognisable faces in the Hausa film industry, popularly known as Kannywood. She began her acting career in 1998 with the film ‘Jinin Masoya’. However, it was her role in the 1999 movie ‘Wasila,’ directed by Yakubu Lere and Ali Nuhu, that shot her to fame.
The actress once revealed that the film was originally titled ‘Jamila,’ but she requested it be changed to ‘Wasila’.
Beyond acting, Isma’il also had a career in radio and television broadcasting in Kaduna. She obtained her primary and secondary school certificates in Kaduna and later earned a diploma from Kaduna State Polytechnic.
