By
Isyaku Bala Ibrahim
Intelligence is a function of IQ, which is a brain activity that allows
interpretation and transformation of generated impulses into logical and
meaningful data and ideas that have the ability to change or shape man and his
society. The process of this transformation might not follow structured and
guided principles from the formative period to the growth of an individual. However,
actors in a group responding to such impulses tend to act in tandem towards a
common but unpronounced objective. The brain or the mind, or an individual is
central to the strategic development of the society through the implementation
of his thought-out dreams or visions. This will however push him to thinking of
being patriotic, having good sense of morality, faith, togetherness,
cooperation, peace, and unity; and empowering people for the society to prosper.
Patriotic thinking points to selflessness in delivering service at one’s endeavour
in pursuit of a common goal. The goal of societal growth is hinged on making it
better than one meets it. Morality is therefore the feeling of high
consciousness of our being which guides one’s behaviour not to infringe on the
other or breach societal norm. Perhaps, in a bid to reshape society that is why
teachers, statesmen, academics and writers like Abubakar Imam, Cyprian Ekwensi,
Etsu Muhammadu Ndayako, Etsu Muhammadu Kobo, Malam Abubakar Zukogi, Professor
Shehu Bida, Prof Bawa Salka, Prof Aaron Tsadu Gana, and the like spent a
greater part of their lives penning ideas. Therefore, Niger is one of the
foremost entities in Nigeria with a strong literary heritage.
So, intellectual power is the conditioning of the mind towards
generating meaningful ideas to solve societal problems. These ideas hold the
key to national development which can be frustrated with uneducated populace. This
approves of the nobility of Dr. Babangida Aliyu’s drive to use intellectual
power as a platform for engendering stability, development and prosperity in
Niger State. A literate society can only prosper under the following parameters
or indices:
1.
High Concentration of Intellectuals, meaning
high concentration of thinkers and researchers, meaning high concentration of
creative products, alternatives and choices.
2.
Functional Educational Institutions,
because citizens perpetually become intellectually challenged arising from the
proliferation of critical populace seeking answers to topical ideas and buoyed
curiosities, which only educational institutions can help to deflate.
3.
Innovative Printing and Publishing Centres,
because well thought out ideas must be recorded formally and shared to enable
new approaches, knowledge and discoveries reach wider audiences to accelerate
growth and development.
4.
Turnout of Literary Works: Books,
Journals, Newspapers, Magazines, Monographs, etc. suddenly, the society that
was once dormant in thought becomes cultured in book development, which is the
most reliable and concrete form of idea preservation, documentation and
dissemination.
5.
Vibrancy of Bookshops, Libraries,
Archives, Museums, etc. A society of books grows simultaneously with book
depositories and sale houses. This gives citizens affordability and
accessibility in a more formal channels that encourages readership and
distribution.
The Intellectual legacy of Niger State has a long and historic tradition
in its favour in modern day Nigeria, its silence about it for a long time has
not encouraged scholarship in young Nigerlites.
Nevertheless, Nigerlites have made their educational, creative,
intellectual and political marks across Nigeria with enduring legacies upon
which Nigeria was built and for the future. So, the current crow of Niger State
Government over intellectualism has an undisputable Iroko root in the
intellectual struggle of Nigeria’s early nationalists and compatriots for which
the state and the country as a whole grew.
Early Literary Icons
of Niger State Extraction from Nineteen Century
From the nineteenth century, intellectual activities of that era were
primarily centred on the missionary activities of both Islam and Christianity, even
though, the Islamic missionary activities predated the Christian one which was
majorly facilitated before and during the colonial era. The Northern region and
partly south-western part of the country are predominately Muslims, which were
familiar with the Arabic orthography and scriptures, and hence used it to
communicate in their local languages. In the North, Ajami was very
popular among the people who applied it in the day-to-day activities of the
emirate, court, and Madarasa administrations and other interactions. Then
we have Hausa, Kanuri, and Nupe Ajamis, and this is partly the reason why
our early currencies reflected a fusion of a local language written with Arabic
letters on a part targeting the acceptance of the North, and on the other part pure
colonial language with Roman letters, which could not go down well with some
people recently as the later was sustained, the former is history.
In the 1840s, the Christian missionary activities began with Europeans
and Americans opening mission stations around different countries (Chiefdoms
and Kingdoms). One of the foremost kingdoms at that period was the Nupe Kingdom,
where stations were opened at Lokoja, Patigi, and Tsonga owing to presence of Niger
River that allows easy access to the Kingdom. These missions led to publication of first
sets of books in local languages thereby winning converts to the new faith. Thereafter,
anthropologists also performed different adventures uncovering interesting findings
about the kingdoms in their published books and journals around the world. In that period, Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther among
others was commissioned to evangelize the Niger River territories which saw him
moving to and from Eggan, Dibo, Kakanda, Lafiyagi, Bida etc. meeting prominent
notables like Etsu Aliyu of Lafiyagi and Etsu Muhammadu Saba (Masaba) in
several occasions during the Niger Expedition, and this led to
his interest in Nupe Language and published books like Prima Woro
(1842), and A Grammar
and Vocabulary of the Nupe Language (1864).
However, writers whose works were published before Nigeria’s
independence fall into this clique (first generation). The emergence of
indigenous writers, the first literary icons in the country like the
Kagara-born Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Imam Kagara popularly known as Abubakar Imam
was a most desired accomplishment to the handicapped indigenous literary
environment. He pioneered the trend in the country with his most celebrated
publications which have enduring legacies and contributed greatly to the growth
of indigenous language literature i.e. Hausa language in Nigeria. This also gave
him an edge above other African writers, who used the colonial languages of
Portuguese, French, or English to develop literature in the continent in that
era. James Hubbard stressed the
achievement of Imam in his book, Education under Colonial Rule: A History of
Katsina College, 1921 – 1942 that, “The fate of literary ventures involving
college graduate improved after 1937. In 1935-36, Abubakar Imam (Abubakar Kagara),…
wrote a three – volume Hausa work, in the style of a thousand and one nights,
called Magana Jari Ce (Hausa: Literature is capital).” This trilogy were
advanced school readers and the government’s financial arrangements then were
more generous than for the novels project, as sales and distribution were not a
problem, he added. Imam’s considerable talents was discovered after talent hunt
of the 1932, prior to writing of Magana Jari Ce with his first book, Ruwan
Bagaja which stunned the Judges, hence, won the contest in 1933. Thereafter,
he was commissioned to write more books which yielded the three volumes of Magana
Jari Ce, published between in 1938 and 1939, a model for Hausa colloquial
prose as a lot of people had had their literary development through these
classical tomes.
While
Abubakar Imam’s three volumes of Magana Jari Ce were concurrently published
between 1938 to 1939, Chinua Achebe’s first book Things Fall Apart was
published in 1958 just before Nigeria’s Independence, and Wole Soyinka’s work
was published in 1969 - The Bacchae of Euripides. It was a rebranding of
the Pentheus fairytale. Imam is the real pioneer of true African literature in the country using
the indigenous language which was well received among his target audience and
speakers in the West African region specifically in Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, and
Niger to further literary development in a region where books in local languages
are scarce. The later-day-greats of Nigerian literature now struggle to
translate their works in their own languages. Imam’s
intervention strategy was succour to the overall migration from Ajami
writings used for centuries to the Roman orthography in his works. This pioneering
activism was also at variance from the general adoption of the colonial
language by stakeholders as the means of communication in the educational and
media systems. These works are considered as truly classical African books in
African lingo of Hausa and its development. Imam kindly handed the baton to
another Minna-born writer, late Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi in 1948 with a
dual debut of An African Night’s Entertainment and When Love Whispers.
Whoever has gone through these entertainments would have seen Ekwensi’s crafty
depiction of his Minnaness in the works.
The media is an important part of any enlightened
society as it educates, and inform its populace. Print media is one important
area where Nigerlites have contributed immensely to the development of the country.
Abubakar Imam became editor of the first Hausa newspaper, Gaskiya Ta fi
Kwabo (Hausa: Truth is Worth more than a Penny) which was first printed in
January 1939. It charged only a penny for a copy and gearing articles to a wide
audience, they had success. Within a year, circulation was 15,000 and the
paper’s correspondence columns, in particular, evoked substantial public
interest. New Nigerian Newspaper was established by Northern Government
in January 1966 as late Malam Mahmud Turi Muhammadu who held from Bida town was
its former Managing Director employed by the then government in 1969 and became the managing editor in
1972; he was editor a year later. From October 1976 to March 1980, he ascended
to the post of the Managing Director of the newspaper. Mohammed Haruna from Bida worked in the
editorial department of the newspaper upon graduation, rising to its Acting
Editor in 1981/1982 and becoming the Managing Director in 1985. He retired in
1989. In 1990, he co-founded the Citizen, a weekly magazine, with three
other veteran journalists: Bilkisu Yusuf, Adamu Adamu, Kabiru Yusuf and which closed-shop
in 1994. Sam Nda-Isaiah is one of the arrow heads of newspaper publishing
business in the country, who founded Leadership Newspapers Group in
2004, and another Nigerlite is Alhaji Mohammad Idris, who is Chairman/CEO of Blueprint
newspapers Ltd, the publishers of Blueprint newspapers in Abuja. Other ace columnists/opinion drivers and
shapers from the state are a common feature in the pages of the national
dailies people like, Maikudi Abubakar Zukogi, Muhammad Al-Ghazali, Alkasim
Abdulkadir, Prof. Brainy, Dr. M. U. Ndagi, Awaal Gata etc.
The state government’s newspaper
– Newsline is one of the oldest and functional government papers founded
by the former military governor of the Niger State, Col. David Mark in 1986. In addition, other government
publications have emerged under the current regime of Dr. Mu’azu Babangida
Aliyu such as the Niger State Impact Magazine and The Interpreter
which are both capturing the activities of government and the dreams of
Nigerilites and ever-ready to get them informed, which is facilitated by the inventiveness
and resourcefulness of the Research and Documentation Unit team of the Government
House. Hundreds of publications have been churned out by this unit since 2007.
Nigeria’s
Nationalists Writers from Niger State (1961-1990)
Most Nigerian
writers could not publish their works till after independence. This kind of
writers falls into this category. The generation has
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe born in Zungeru, Niger State on November 16, 1904 whose My
Odyssey was published in 1970. This
is followed by Mamman Vatsa first published works of Verses
for Nigerian State Capitals (Poetry) in 1973. However, the establishment of the Association of Nigeria Authors by Chinua
Achebe and others in 1981 marked the continuation of Niger
State influence on the literary body, as Vatsa contributed greatly to its emergence
and sustenance. Being one of its pioneer members, Major -General Mamman Vatsa
donated a large piece of land to the body in Abuja tagged today as the Mamman
Vatsa Writers Village in 1985, after holding a national convention there. He was a true
nationalist and polyglot-writer who wrote and published several books and poems
in Hausa, English, Pidgin (Naija Langwej) and Nupe languages. Vatsa, a Nigerlite pioneered Nigerian Teen Authorship Scheme with his Soldier’s Children as Poets. Today,
Niger State has taken the lead in championing this genre. It is currently being
popularized by Raji/Dzukogi leadership of ANA through a grant by the wife of
Niger State Governor to commence a pilot programme in five states of the
federation. Owing to the legendry accomplishments of the body through Mamman
Vatsa led the Association to then appeal for his death sentence to be commuted.
In the account of Max Siollun, who quoted Soyinka of saying on 4th March 1986 in
a synopsis after meeting IBB a day before Vatsa’s execution, “Chinua Achebe, J.
P. Clark, and myself met Babangida that day. He (Babangida) came out, and he
gave his pledge. He said: ‘Gentlemen, I’m glad you people came, I’m going to
throw my weight on the side of mercy, I promise you, I’ll do my best.’ ” Thereafter,
he gave up the ghost on 5th March 1986. The legendry
achievement of ANA draws it strength from it pioneers such as the Mamman Jiya
Vatsa.
Since then Nigerlites have one way or the other contributed to
development of literature on the continent. The 1991 Booker Prize
winner, Ben Okri whose stardom was consolidated with his first fiction, Flowers
and Shadows (1980) and his award endearing book The Famished Road had
his umbilical cord buried in the valley of Minna in March 1959. Abubakar Gimba joined this group with the
publication of his first, Trail
of the Sacrifice in 1985 and he thereafter became ANA’s President in 1997. Corpse
as a Bridegroom of Yahaya S.
Dangana made its debut in 1986. Abdullahi Ismaila unveiled the Demon and other Poems in 1990, and was the former Chairman of ANA, National Assist General-
Secretary. In league with Abdullahi were Baba Akote, Ezekeil Fajenyo (Bandaged
Candle), Amaechi Odimeze, Jerry Galadima, Godwin Bawa, and later joined by
Dzukogi and Kamar Hamza.
The Birth of
Niger’s Literary Crusaders (1991 -2012)
The actors
of the first and second generations in Niger State were primarily adult
authors, but the third and fourth are a class of adult authors along with their
children. This is a generation where the mentors are growing along with the
mentees. It is a complex generations where the fathers are weaning their sons
and daughters into literary maturity and achievements. They have unlimited
drives, large heart to outdo their predecessors with high spirit of
regeneration through empowerment of the young and curious minds in schools
around the state through the following programmes: Annual Schools Carnival of Arts
and Festival of Songs, Art Centres, Literature Libraries, Reading projects,
Teen Authorship Schemes, Theatre practice, and Writer’s Spell. This is the
reason why larger portion of writers in the third and fourth generations are
the products of aforementioned programmes. However, despite the complexities of
its outlook, these generations can broadly be categorized into two groups: the frontiers
& Mentors, and the Mentees. The dynamism, unrepentant activism,
functionality and stubborn hope that marked this era (still unfolding) is
articulated in Kamar Hamza’s monograph.
The
Emergence of a new Frontiers and Mentors
The Minna
literary evolution went into lull between 1991 and 1994; a new verve was introduced
to the environment when Yahaya Dangana and Godwin Bawa invited and inaugurated
Abdullahi/Dzukogi EXCO in December 1994. The executive succeeded in the rediscovering
and reinventing strategies that help positioned the literary activities in the
state through innovative steps of growing literary outputs in books and in the
print media across the country. The pioneers of this generation are Abdullahi
Ismaila, Baba Akote [(the Moving Cloud (Poetry)], BM Dzukogi [Midnight Lamp (Poetry)-1996], Saidu B. Musa, Kamar Hamza (Best Book of Rhyme), Lucky Oghuvwu (Mr. Culture) as drivers and anchor leg
of the unfolding movement.
The second
leg had writers like Khalil Ayuba (Darkness
of Doom), who ought to be in the upper category above. Aminu S. Muhammad (Moon and the Star), Nma Hassan, Hasiya
Mohammed (A Price to Pay), Alkasim
Abdulkadir (International Journalist), Ayuba Pmabi (Voyage through Soul), Shagabo D. Bala, Awwalu A. Sakiwa(Story
of Bayajida), Sadisu Mohammad (Inaudible
Noise), a Nupe filmmaker, actor, producer and a writer (Short Stories
2004), Banma Baba Suleiman, Bilkisu Abarah, Sulay Nsubong (Die and Be
Beloved – 2005), Almamun Malam, Farida
Mohammad (Dance with the Ocean – 2009), Awal Avuti, Abba Abdulkareem (Balderdash)
Fireful Mentees
and baton holders
Saddiq
Dzukogi [Images of Life-2004, Canvas-2011],
Zainab Manko [Penalty of an Orphan (Story), 2006], Halima Aliyu [One
Little Trick One Painful Death (Story), 2006]; Gimba Kakanda [Safari
Pant (Poetry) 2010], B. M. Nagidi [Slaying the Wayfarer (Poetry)
- 2011], Paul Liam [Indefinite Cravings (Poetry)-2012]; etc.
Teen and Kid Authors
Fatima
Daniyan (the Wicked Mother - Story)
Hauwa
Hussaini (Full Moon –Poetry)
Institutional
Scholars
Attainment of scholarship and excellence is one important character academicians
of Niger State origin are known for in various educational institutions across
the country. Though, the state’s first degree graduate was the late Alhaji
Shehu Ahmadu Musa who graduated in 1960 from the University College, Ibadan.
This landmark achievement opened a path for others, as things have progressed
considerably as turnout of intellectuals have increased in pursuit of
brilliance for the state. However, there are numbers of thinkers from the state
that have made considerable impacts in the development of Education in different
fields of knowledge in the institutions of learning around the country. Today,
with about 30 Professors and over 60 Ph.D degree holders in different
institutions around the country, Niger State has become a breeding ground for
scholarship and excellence.
Professor Shehu Jibrin Bida is the first Veterinary Doctor in Northern
Nigeria who graduated from the Veterinary College, Tuskegee, Alabama (1967),
M.Sc. from Kansas State University, Kansas, USA (1969); Ph.D from Veterinary
College, University of London (1973) and became a
Professor of Pathology in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Other intellectuals
are Prof. Jonathan Othman Ndagi, the first VC of FUT Minna (1982 to 1990); Prof. Bawa Salka; Prof. Muhammadu Daniyan, former Rector,
Federal Polytechnic Bida (1991-1997), and third VC of FUT Minna (1997-2002); late Prof. Ango former Rector of Federal
Polytechnic Bida; there is also Prof. Jerry Gana who became professor of
Geography in 1985 and three-term minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
Prof. Muhammad Bello Audi; Prof J.M. Baba; Prof. Muhammad Kuta Yahaya, former
SSG and the Current Chief of Staff to the Niger State Government; and Prof. S.
K. Tswanya. The Niger State College of Education had its first provost in
person of late Dr. Umaru Sanda Ahmadu (1975-88), Dr. Peter Sarki and lots more.
The Story of the Niger Press
Publishing outfits are central to the attainment of
this vision of Niger State intellectual distinctiveness. It will be out of
place if one has developed an idea but it can go beyond the right-owner, as
bringing it to the fore is the most honourable thing to do. Get it published or
printed for the benefit of humanity. So this struggle will be incomplete
without the availability of the chains of publishing companies or houses.
Though, Niger State has an entrenched press
tradition. The Niger Press was established by Rev. Alexandra Woods
Banfield in Tsonga in December 1910, owned by Evangelical Publishers of Canada.
It is about the first printing company in the country as Mr. Jason stressed,
“Mr Banfield had no previous experience in printing, but his engineering
background served him well, and together with a few young men he started
printing. Orders were sent in from a number of mission stations, government
officials and traders, and it was soon evident that the Press was meeting a
real need.” By 1914, Niger Press was in full swing, staffed by
Nigerians, and printing and binding were done in about twelve languages:
English, Hausa, Yoruba, Nupe, Gbagyi, Munchi, Yergum, Angas, Sura, Bachama, Jukun and
Berom (Burum). The Press published very large or difficult jobs such as:
Scripture portions, dictionaries, prayer books and Bible stories, hymn books,
readers, primers, catechisms and reading sheets. Not only were these printed,
but suitable covers were made and the books bound, a credit indeed to Nigerians
who did the work.
In September 1918 E. F. George took over the
management of the press as he had vast experience in the printing business. Thereafter,
the press owners made an important decision that culminated into the movement
of the Press activities to Minna from Tsonga in January 1919 and it was thus
better equipped. The decision was reached because they believed Minna is more centrally situated town on the
railway and within easy reach of various mission stations, and hence Minna
became SIM’s headquarter in Nigeria. Jos then became the headquarter
of the press in 1928 because of its favourable weather to the white men.
In 1958, Niger Press and African
Challenge joined forces in Lagos and the name Niger press
was changed to Niger Challenge Press to reflect the
printing of African Challenge and Yoruba Challenge.
Yoruba Challenge was a vernacular magazine, which was later,
phased out because it was selling below expectation. Along the way, there came
a great change that had adverse effects on the production, distribution and
sales of African Challenge and other publications. In February 1966, the Niger
Challenge Press was sold out.
Minna and Nigeria’s 1st Bookshop
The first bookshop in the region was opened in 1914 in Minna. It was a
missionary shop called Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) Bookshop which had
an additional book kiosk at Minna rail station. It thereafter spread into the
rest of the country: Jos in 1924, Kano 1945, Kaduna 1957, Lagos 1960, Ibadan
1964, Port Harcourt 1965.
In
compliance with the indigenization decree of 1972 promulgated by the then
military administration, the name Sudan Interior Movement (S.I.M.) Bookshops
had to be changed to Challenge Bookshops in 1974. The name Challenge
was deemed more indigenous, and it was felt that the time had come for S.I.M /
ECWA to stand on the threshold of indigenization by handing the management of
S.I.M Bookshops over to ECWA leaders. As at 1984 there were 36 Challenge
Bookshops across the length and breadth of the country. The state today can fly
its own kite with prominent bookshops such as Ilmi Bookshop, KC Bookshops and
the rest. This is where government needs to do a grand plan for book sales.
Real big time bookshops to meet the intellectual capital policy of Niger state
must be redesigned to cover all the local governments.
The Intellectual
Centres
The economy of most nations today is been propelled by the knowledge
power. Knowledge – Based Economy is powered by the strategic human capital
development. Therefore, the knowledge power philosophy has the ability to bring
faster development to a growing economy like Niger State. So, such economy is
People-Centred, where the empowerment of the individual is key to attainment of
a common goal or vision. This will also strengthen other sectors such as industry
or manufacturing, Agriculture, and tourism. However, the intellectual centres
in Niger State are the key educational institutions include: higher educational
institutions, primary and post-primary schools (private and public), literary
centres and bodies. They are the breeding centres for innovator, idea-breeders
and generators.
The First Literary Body in the Country
The first organized literary body in the country is not the Association
of Nigerian Authors (ANA) which came into existence in 1981, but the Bida
Literary Society (BLS) established in 1932, which is among the first literary
bodies on the continent. James Hubbard wrote about the literary society that, “In Niger
Province, a British plan to have an educated member on each Native
Administration council to handle the paper work produced places for Nuhu Agaie,
Na’ibi of Agaie, and Suleiman Barau, Iya of Abuja. The only organized group in
which college graduates seem to have played a prominent role was the Bida
Literary Society. P.G. Harris, District Officer Bida founded the society in
1932 as a meeting ground for educated Africans, both college trained northerners
and southern-born clerks. It met every two weeks through at least 1934. It
remained, however, a creation of the British and of little significance,
political or otherwise.” People like Abubakar Imam, Alhaji Aliyu Makama, Malam
Ahmadu, Malam Nuhu Agaie, Suleiman Barau, Malam Ibrahim Jibrin (the father of
Prof. Shehu Bida) etc were all pioneer members of this iconic literary body.
However, even Christopher Okigbo’s African Authors Association was founded
around 1956. Bida Literary Society even predated the Ghana Association of
Writer which came to existence in 1957.
Currently, there are four literary bodies in the state whose activities
and influences have been overwhelming: Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA),
Niger State Chapter; Bida Literary Society (BLS) – this body’s activities have
been very minimal because most members have been absorbed by ANA; Hilltop Arts
Foundation (HAF) – a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has a broad objective
of establishing art centres, libraries, and teaching arts across schools in the
state for instance, it has centres and libraries in the following places:
Hilltop Model Schools, Government Girls Secondary School, Old Airport,
Government Secondary School (GSS), Minna; Women Writers’ Association (WRITA) of
Nigeria, Niger State Chapter – It is women platform encouraging female writers
and young minds to embrace books through it reading and spelling campaigns in
the state.
Educational
Institutions
Niger State has numerous schools, about 4 Federal Government Colleges,
157 Secondary Schools, 12 Science & Technical Schools, 19 vocational
Schools etc.
Universities:
-
Federal University of Technology, Minna
(established in February 1983)
-
IBB University, Lapai (established in
2005)
-
Edusoko
University, Bida (formative stage)
Polytechnics:
-
Federal Polytechnic Bida (established in
1977)
-
Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru, &
Bida (established 1991)
Colleges of
Educations
-
Federal College of Education, Kontagora (1978)
-
Niger State College of Education, Minna (established
1975)
Schools of Health:
-
Niger State School of Midwifery, Minna
-
Niger State School of Nursing, Bida (1977)
-
Niger State School of Health Technology,
Minna
-
Niger State School of Health Technology, Tunga
Magajiya
Schools of
Agriculture
-
Federal College of Fresh Water Fisheries
Technology, New Bussa (1978)
-
Niger State School of Agriculture, Mokwa (1979)
Others are:
-
Federal Schools of Aviation, New Bussa
-
Federal College of Wild Life Management,
New Bussa (1978)
-
Justice Fati Lami College of Arts and
Islamic Legal Studies, Minna
Literary Centres:
Literary centres are the brain of the society, the preserve of its culture,
which Niger State is blessed with so many of them. It is however important that
Nigeriltes explore the information contained in these places like National
Information Centre, Minna; National Library of Nigeria, Minna; Dr. Abubakar
Imam Library, Minna; Niger State Archive, Minna; Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu
Writer’s Village, Maikunkele (formative Stage); Hilltop Arts Centre (the first
literary centre in the Northern Nigeria), Minna; GGSS Art Centre, Minna; GSS
Minna Art Centre etc.
Educational Tour Centres
Niger State is a peaceful state and as a result of this disposition,
conferences, trainings, meetings, summits, political brainstorming sessions,
workshops and seminars are a daily occurrence in the state most especially in
the state capital. So, there several educational tour centres available in the
state capital such as UK Bello Arts Centre, Justice Legbo Kutigi International
Conference Centre, YES Multipurpose Hall, General Abdulsalami Youth Centre, and
other hospitality centres like parks,
garden Hotels, sports centres across the state.
Scholarship Enablers
There are Nigerlites who in the course of discharging their duties in
governance have contributed to the empowerment of people for the development of
the nation. This group is mostly policy-makers and implementers who have
challenged people to become the best in later in life.
Alhaji Aliyu
Makaman Bida led the trend as the first Minister of Education and Social
Services, between 1952 and 1956, and Minister of Finance from 1956 -1966 in the
Northern Nigeria. Later, he was very instrumental to the positioning of
education in the region including the establishment of Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, and Kaduna Polytechnic, and where he served in their boards for over 15
year. He also served in the board of University of Ibadan until his death in
March 1980. He was a mentor to thousands of Nigerians.
IBB was a friend of the professionals and writers as seen during his
regime which writers and technocrats who were part of his government, people like
Professor Wole Soyinka, Dr Tai Solarin, Prof Jerry Gana etc. Therefore, the NLNG’s The Nigeria Prize
for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Science could not have
happened without General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) establishing
Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny. Apart of generating more revenue
for the government, it is also empowering writers. This singular achievement is
a challenge to the subsequent governments after IBB which ended up putting the
petroleum sector into hysteria, because the nation cannot longer refine its
petroleum products and have refused to build new ones. Assuming IBB did not
conceive this NLNG project, and refused to complete the second phase of
150,000bpd capacity Port Harcourt Refinery commissioned in 1989. What would
have been the position of LNG Nigeria Prize? So, we applaud the efforts
of LNG for empowering scientists and writers across the country, as writers
today have the opportunity to win the yearly coveted Prize of $100,000. The Prize
award started in 2004 with a maiden reward of $20,000 and grew considerably
over the years. Little wonder, IBB was invited to chair one of the Prize
awarding ceremonies. Since inception of the honours, the following writers have
been rewarded for excellence: the 2004 prize list has Bina Nengi-Ilagha, Omo
Uwaifo and Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo with a bit of disappointed as no winner
emerged for the year’s literature prize for prose. Ezenwa Ohaeto & Gabriel
Okara (Poetry 2005 Winners); Dr. Ahmed Yerima (Drama - 2006); Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo & Mabel Segun
(Children Literature 2007); Kaine Agary (Prose 2008); no winner in 2009; late
Esiaba Irobi (2010) and Adeyemi Adeleke (Children Book: Little-Known Mai
Nasara 2011).
The advent Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, CON in 2007 as the Governor of
Niger State total changed the direction of governance to a more proactive and
serious business thereby affecting every segment of the society including the
literary environment in an effort to broaden the economic fortunes of the state
to include among others a knowledge-based-economy which is being propelled by
the development of the intellectual power of the actors/stakeholders. So, this
intellectual struggle is moving at a supersonic speed as educational and
literary activities of the state have been reinvigorated thereby carving out a
dimension toward achieving the broader vision of the state to be among the
three most developed economies in the country by the year 2020 with the huge
support given to the literary centres in the state. Though, more efforts are
needed in some areas of the educational institutions which their managers need
to be challenged to be more innovative to strengthened and improve on the
quality of their outputs despite the resource change all over. They should be
told that their great asset is the will to do it, as nothing is impossible. If
they conceive it, they can do it.
References:
Azikiwe, Nnamdi (2004). My Odyssey (An Autobiography). Ibadan:
Spectrum Books Limited
Daily Trust Newspaper. Meeting of the Chief Servant
with Academics and Professionals of Niger State Extraction (Advertorial ).Vol.29
No.98, July 18, 2012 p.34
Dzukogi, B.M. (2009). Minna: Valley of Poets & Writers.
Ibadan: Kraft Books Limited.
Hubbard, James Patrick (2000). Education under Colonial Rule: A
History of Katsina College, 1921 – 1942. University Press of America.
Mason, Jim
(2009). Literature
Outreach in Nigeria: A History of SIM Literature Work 1901 – 1980. Waterloo
Nigeria LNG: The Nigeria Prize. http://www.nlng.com/PageEngine.aspx?&id=61 (accessed 27 August 2012)
Siollun, Max. The Trial of Mamman Vatsa on October 7, 2008 http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/the-trial-of-mamman-vatsa.html (accessed 25 August 2012)
