Reports
How ANA Kano celebrated 2018 literary week
By Ahmad Saleem
The creative cycle is gradually diminishing from the light as youths have found solace in mostly western contemporary culture rather than their local realities – throwing away their inherited ways and imitating so much that has to do with mere entertainment, which is not related to the development of their communities, themselves or their intellectual wellbeing.
In its effort to promote literary activities, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Kano State branch, under the leadership of Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah has successfully celebrated its unique, exciting and most awaited program, Kano Literary Week.
The theme of this year’s edition was: Creative Writing as a Tool for Enhancing Democracy.
The program, which commenced with an impressive grand opening at the Murtala Muhammad Library Complex, Kano State, was graced with the presence of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II and ten of his high ranked district heads.
Many prominent and influential people also graced the occasion with their presence: among others there were Bashir Othman Tofa, the National Republican Convention (NRC) candidate in the annulled Nigeria’s June 12, 1993 presidential election; the Vice Chancellor of Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Mustapha Ahmad Isa who served as the chairman of the occasion; the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Bayero University Kano, Adamu Idris Tanko; Habu Muhammad who was the keynote speaker; the former DG of A Daidaita Sahu, Bala Muhammad who served as the master of the ceremony (English), and Nasiru Wada Khalil who served as the master of the ceremony (Hausa).
In his remark, His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II stressed the importance of education as the only measure that Nigerians can embrace to pull out from the present socio-economic and political bind.
The Emir also stressed the need for the government to adopt the use of indigenous languages as means of instruction in conventional institutions of learning especially in science, technical and medical related courses.
He stressed that writers have a gargantuan role to play in the process of reforming the social life and affairs of society. He therefore beseeched the writers to expand their horizons so as to create a positive influence in day-to-day life. He said that many problems that bedevil society like drugs abuse, incessant domestic violence, poor parental care, high rate of divorce, women/child trafficking and molestation can be addressed through writings.
Similarly, the keynote speaker Habu Mohammed, a professor of Political Science stressed that ANA has a significant role to play in the creation of awareness among the youths to curtail many of the problems affecting society, particularly in the education sector.
Another important activity of the program was the “Reading Through Model”. It was aimed at fostering greater interest in reading among children and youths and to promote reading culture. Leaders, celebrities and other influential people stood before the students and pupils to read some books to them. Photographs of the reading sessions were taken to produce posters for distribution in various schools and libraries. The influential people that read to these young people include Bashir Othman Tofa, Mannir Sulaiman, Maryam Gatawa, Safiyya Ibrahim Abdulhamid and Lawan Adamu Giginyu.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Kano State Branch, Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah, said writers are very concerned about the state of their societies, especially poverty, corruption, inequality and bad governance.
According to him, as a group of writers, they were determined to look at these problems and raise a massive campaign towards addressing them.
Writers’ Talk (English Version)
Writers’ talk is a new form of presentation by some preeminent writers and scholars to spread various ideas and writing skills in form of short, powerful talks. Different topics related to writings were given to the presenters and each presenter was given 15 minutes to make his presentation. The writers’ talk (English version) took place at American Space, Murtala Muhammad Library Complex, Kano State. The resource persons include the former DG of A Daidaita Sahu, Bala Muhammad, the Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Y.Z. Ya’u, Maryam Ali Ali, and Kabiru Musa Jammaje who was represented by Osama Jilani Dayyab.
Writers’ Talk (Hausa Version)
Hausa version of Writers’ talk also took place at Murtala Muhammad Library Complex. Some preeminent Hausa writers were also selected to deliver such powerful talk on different topics. The classical writers and scholars that made the presentations are: Yahaya Ahmadu Dan-Arewa, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, Fauziyya Danladi Sulaiman, Nasiru Wada Khalil, Faruk Lawan Da’u and Aminuddeen Ladan Abubakar (ALA) who was represented by Auwalu Dan-Borno.
Literary Quiz for Secondary Schools
The reason behind literary quiz for secondary schools is to create ravenous and lifelong readers with expanded horizon, imagination and curiosity. Similarly, it strengthens the position of literature and literary activities and also fosters connectivity around books and reading.
The winning schools in the literary quiz for the English and Hausa literature are:
For English Literature, Creative Minds Academy (Winner), Shekara GGSS (First runner) and Khalil Arabic Secondary Schools (Second runner), while from the Hausa Literature were FGC Kiyawa, Jigawa State (Winner), Gora Academy (First runner) and Shekara GGSS (Second runner).
English Writers’ Parley
Writers parley, a conference for discourse between some selected classical writers and other writers, readers and audience, took place at Murtala Muhammad Library Complex. It gives an opportunity for the young writers and students to learn about how veteran writers get their ideas and turn those ideas into books. It also helps to make those connections visible for readers, emerging writers, and students.
The moderator of the great parley was Isma’il Bala, who teaches English at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, where he specializes in modern and contemporary poetry and literary theory.
The writers that participated in the great parley were: Aliyu Kamal, a professor of English language and author of 14 novels which were all translated into Hausa language by him. He is an avid reader, critic, highly resourceful and winner of the ANA-Chevron Award. Some of his books include: Fire in my Backyard, Hausaland, Silence and a Smile, A Possible World, Hausa Girl, Computer Shutdown, Women without borders, among others.
Auwalu Yusuf Hamza: is a bilingual novelist who writes in Hausa and English. He was former ANA Kano Chairman. Some of his books include, Gidan Haya, ‘Yarkwatano, Love Path, A Question of Marriage, Open Courts, Citizens Parade etc.
Safiyya Ibrahim Abdulhamid: is the author of two poetry anthologies, Jewel from the New World and Destined by the Rhythm. Safiyya has been known for her spiritual gift of excellent poetry rendition and lyrical voice.
Zahra Tabi’u: is a young bilingual novelist of high literary genius. She published her first novel, Desire and Destiny when she was a secondary school student. Zahra’s short story Tsalle Daya was among the honorable mentions in the 2018 BBC Hausa short story prize.
Award Presentation/ Grand Closing
The award presentation/grand closing ceremony also took place at the same venue. The chairman of the occasion was Abdulkadir Dangambo, a professor of Hausa language while the master of the ceremony was Kabiru Yusuf Fagge (Anka). Some prominent personalities were presented with awards of honour do to their gargantuan efforts in the promotion of literary activities. Some dead writers who also contributed immensely while alive were also awarded posthumously.
Harnessing Financial Expertise to Achieve $1 Trillion Target
By Mukhtar Yahya Usman
Amid concerns over Nigeria’s challenging business environment, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) is set to utilize the financial expertise of its members to formulate strategies that will help the Federal Government achieve its $1 trillion economic target.
The institute aims to introduce innovative solutions to expand the capital market and promote economic development, which will be the core focus of its upcoming 28th Annual Stockbrokers Conference.
Conference Theme: Capital Market as a Catalyst for Growth
The two-day conference, scheduled for November 7th and 8th, 2024, in Ibadan, Oyo State, will center around the theme “Capital Market as a Catalyst for the $1 Trillion Economy.
Held at the Jogor Event Centre, the event will bring together policymakers, business leaders, and financial experts to discuss the capital market’s pivotal role in driving Nigeria’s economic growth and realizing the government’s trillion-dollar vision.
Collaboration for Policy and Regulatory Reforms
In a statement signed by CIS Registrar and CEO Dr. Josiah Akerewusi, the institute highlighted that the conference will assess Nigeria’s current economic condition and explore ways to enhance the capital market’s contribution.
It will also encourage collaboration among stakeholders to drive necessary policy reforms and regulatory enhancements.
Capital Market as a Key Driver of Economic Growth
“With the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aiming for a $1 trillion economy, we firmly believe the capital market is critical to achieving this goal,” said Akerewusi.
“The Nigerian capital market can generate a substantial portion of the $1 trillion target.”
Why Ibadan Was Chosen
A Historic and Serene Venue for Reflection and Networking
According to CIS 1st Vice President Fiona Ahimie, Ibadan was selected as the conference venue for its historical relevance and peaceful environment.
“Ibadan offers stockbrokers a chance to escape the busy life of Lagos, allowing for a relaxed setting conducive to networking and reflection,” Ahimie explained.
Focus on Attracting Investment and Improving the Business Environment
Simisola Ojumu, Vice Chairman of the Annual Conference Committee, underscored the conference’s emphasis on improving Nigeria’s business environment to attract both domestic and foreign investments.
The discussions will address policy and regulatory frameworks, along with the role of digital innovation in enhancing capital market performance.
Key Topics for Discussion
Panel discussions will cover essential topics, including an evaluation of critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, strategies to strengthen the capital market’s role in economic growth, and recommendations for improving policy and regulatory measures to optimize market performance.
By Mukhtar Yahya Usman
A recent report by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, reveals a worrying health issue in Nigeria: newborn babies are being found with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly strains resistant to colistin, a critical last-resort antibiotic.
This has raised concerns about the future health and safety of infants in the country.
Study Findings
The report examined samples from mothers and their newborns, showing that babies younger than one week old already carried colistin-resistant bacteria.
This is alarming, especially as neither the mothers nor the babies had been treated with colistin, indicating an external source of this resistance.
Out of 4,907 samples tested, 1% showed colistin resistance, affecting 41 mothers and eight newborns.
This situation suggests that these babies could face an increased risk of drug-resistant infections in the future.
What is Antimicrobial Resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, fungi, or parasites evolve to resist medications meant to kill them.
This makes infections harder to treat, increasing the likelihood of severe illness or death.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, AMR is responsible for high mortality rates, with 23.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
By 2050, it is predicted that deaths from AMR will surpass those from cancer and diabetes combined, making it a global public health crisis, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
AMR is aggravated by the misuse of antibiotics in both healthcare and agriculture, leading to complications in treating life-threatening conditions like sepsis, which already claims 11 million lives globally each year.
Link to Agriculture
The report highlights a potential connection between colistin use in agriculture and resistance in humans.
Colistin, although rarely used in Nigerian hospitals, is heavily utilized in farming, primarily to promote growth and prevent infections in livestock.
Globally, more antibiotics are administered to animals than humans, a practice that has accelerated the rise of resistant bacteria.
In 2022, almost 100,000 tonnes of antibiotics were used for raising cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs, and this number is projected to rise by 8% by 2030.
This extensive use in farming has contributed significantly to the global spread of colistin-resistant bacteria.
Global Actions and Contradictions
In response to this growing threat, countries like China and those in the European Union have banned the use of colistin in agriculture.
However, paradoxically, while European nations restrict its use domestically, they still export animal feed containing colistin to countries like Nigeria, exacerbating the problem in low- and middle-income countries.
Call to Action
The report urges a global ban on the non-essential use of colistin in agriculture to preserve its effectiveness for human health.
It also highlights the need for greater investment in infection prevention in hospitals and improved hygiene practices on farms to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
While necessary, these actions present challenges, particularly in countries like Nigeria, where farming is essential for livelihoods, and stricter regulations could impact food production. Nonetheless, the growing threat of AMR demands urgent action to safeguard public health and future generations.
National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje yesterday lose 1,331 members of party to the ruling New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) at home town in Kano.
The decampees who are mainly from 11 wards of Ganduje’s Dawakin-Tofa local government area of Kano state vowed to work against the return of APC in Kano.
Prominent among the former APC leaders now embrace NNPP include former Vice Chairman, Dawakin-Tofa local government area, Malam Isyaku Dahiru Kwa; former state House of assembly aspirant, Hon. Audu Magaji Tumfafi; Bashir Musa Sani, APC Youth Leader for Takai Organization among others.
Receiving the decampees back to the ruling party, at a ground reception held at Dawakin-Tofa, State Chairman of NNPP, Hon. Hashimu Dungurawa applauded the ingenuity of the Ganduje’s kinsmen to APC.
Earlier, one of the leader of the decampees Isyaku Dahiru kwa alleged total neglect of Ganduje’s inability to develop Dawakin-Tofa local government area during his eight years tenure as major reason for their decision.
Kwa also claim that former Governor’s leadership deficit to manage the affairs of the party at the national level and his alleged involvement in anti-party during the 2023 general elections where his son, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje failed to clinch the house of representatives victory.
Dungurawa declared that NNPP under the spiritual leadership of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is committed to entrench socio-econonic and infrastructural development in Kano.
While assuring the newest members of NNPP equal opportunity within the party caucus, Dungurawa dispelled rumour of mass defection of NNPP members to APC.
He maintained that NNPP is not losing grip of control of its party structure across the political wards, describing those aligning with APC as 419 struggling to collect their national cake from their recruiters.
According to Dungurawa, ” We learn one APC man has been receiving members of NNPP into APC. Let me remind the Abuja man that we have checked the roll call of our members and we have not noticed any reduction in the volume of our numerical strength.
” Perhaps, I need to advise the Abuja APC man to shine his eye and beware of 419 people coming to collect the public fund in his disposal in the name of decampees.
In any ways, we would not blame anyone claiming to have decamped from NNPP to APC simple to collect his own share from the disposable income”. Dungurawa clarified.
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