Kano
is an old city dating back to over one thousand years. It is known as a famous centre
of commerce, cultural diversity and also centre for learning. The olden
monument of Gidan Dan Hausa was a one time the first school of Northern Nigeria
where our great leaders were taught western education. The earlier linked of
Kano with Arabs as far back as 1320s made the state to be the most extensive
and well-established in terms of literary movement. At that time, Arabic language
and ajami were used by Kanawa to
write down their literature, which was largely originated from Hausa oral
tradition and folktales.
Because
of the strategic important of Kano and the vast population of its literary
citizenry, the colonial masters used that to their advantage. In 1929, they established
Translation Bureau in Kano with the aim of translating non-Hausa works. The
Bureau was later moved to Zaria in 1931, probably because of intermediary
position of Zaria which links the then seat of power (Lokoja) and Kano. The
period witnessed the translation of Arabic texts like Arbab Hadha al-balad al-
Musamma Kano and many others. According to A U Adamu, the work of this bureau
was largely translation of non-Hausa language works to Hausa using Hausanized Roman script.
Based
on these, there is no doubt why Kano remains the heart of indigenous literature
in the whole West Africa, basically because of the refocused by the colonial
masters that made emphases on Hausa literature. But as time goes on, the need
for Kano to be in the race of English literature arises. The population of Kano
(as the most populous state in the country), must to be used to its advantage,
the unknown gifted people in the state should be given an equal opportunity to
give their own contribution.
The Association of
Nigerian Authors (ANA) Kano state branch was founded in 1992 at Kano State
History and Culture Bureau with a goal to promote literature and literary
activities in the State. It initiated programmes that helped in boosting
literary activities more especially the English literature which was not
promoted. With the advent of film industry in Kano, many members of ANA Kano moved
to the production of films which nearly cripple the literary movement. In order
to overcome the problem, the Association initiated Creative Writers Forum in
both English and Hausa languages. The English forum at that time was taking
place at the British Council, while the Hausa version was taking place at the
Murtala Muhammad library. These fora have witnessed great discovery of new young
writers, and subsequently helped in building their capacities. Undoubtedly, the
fora have given them self-esteems to meet the challenges of the contemporary
world.
To
give you example of the contribution of these fora, many of its members are now
Professors, leading journalist, medical doctors, engineers, and bureaucrats. Readers
will agree with my point if I cite example with international and local journalists
that are always on air or widely read in our national dailies. These people
include Dr. Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u, Isa Muhammad Inuwa, Nasidi A. Kura, Nafisa
Ahmad Sulaiman, Muhammad Kabir Muhammad, Ahmad Salisu, Maude Rabiu Gwadabe, Hamisu
Musa Sidi, Jamila Sulaiman Gezawa, Bilkisu Ado Zango, Badsha Mukhtar, Abdulaziz
A. Abdulaziz, Maje Elhajji Hotoro, Sa’adatu Baba Ahmad, Ahmad Danyaro and older
hand Bala Muhammad. We are proud to say these journalists are members of the
Kano state branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors who are now given
their contribution in the development of Kano and the country at large.
Over
the years the journey of English literature is progressing when compared to the
past. Today in Kano, many young writers have been discovered from secondary
schools, and these writers have published their books or featured in various anthologies.
Young writers like Nabila Ahmad Rufa’i, Safiyya Ibrahim Abdulhamid, Zahra
Tabiu, Hadiza Aminu and Khadija M. Hanga started from secondary schools, and
today they mostly published their individual books or featured in various
anthologies. Having these, I think it is an indication that ANA should do more
in secondary schools, because the above mentioned writers were discovered by
accident, I am sure many good talents are left undiscovered.
Recently,
when ANA Kano organised a quiz competition for secondary schools, which was held
at GGC Dala, we understood that if these schools receive proper attention, literary
activities in the state would definitely be improved. This is said because I
saw the way these students responded to the questions asked on both English and
Hausa literatures, one can vividly see the students’ zeal to lay their hands in
literary works. After the event we advised the schools to open literary and
reading clubs for the students, and we also promised to give any support that
will enhance the programme.
In
2003, when ANA Kano and Science and Technical Schools Board organised literary
campaign, we went round the Science and Technical Schools in Kano to have readings
session with the students. The programme really paid well, because we learnt
from the coordinator of the programme, the successes they recorded in English
language at that year. Similarly, the then HOD English of Government Technical
College, Ungoggo, Khalid Imam, edited
two anthologies of poetry and short stories Citadel
of Excellence (poems 2004) and The
Birds’s Evidence (short stories 2005) written by students of this particular
school.
While
ANA Kano is busy preparing workshops and literary seminars for its members, writers
must tilt their attention to extend these services to our secondary schools.
Although the Association, in the past, had organised literary workshops for
some secondary schools, but they should redouble their effort to reach more
schools. I know there is a limit to what
the Association can do, but in this regard, the state Education Board should intervene
by supporting this great movement. We can’t do without literature, because it
helps in the growth of our education system. My readers will agree with me that
the ‘yan boko of olden days studied
literature as a compulsory course in their secondary schools, and this opened
their horizons of knowledge. The quality of their education is far better than
what is obtainable now, and we cannot deny the fact that their educational
achievement was related to their habit of reading widely. The colonial masters
that put us through the western education have their own reason for introducing
literature as a core course. We have to debunk the saying that: if you want to
hide knowledge from black people, you should put it in a book.
The
present government in Kano under Engineer Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is quite
doing well to improve education in the state. His administration has
established both new secondary schools and tertiary institutions; it sponsored five
hundred and one indigenes of Kano to study abroad. It also embarks on Mass
Literacy Campaign with the aim of seeing everyone in Kano has at least, learnt
how to read and write. The giants strides the state is taking in the area of
education can successfully be achieved when all the ingredients of learning are
provided and put together. Literature cannot be an exception to this
development that is taking place in the state, because it is part of the basic
ingredients for learning. The densely populated city of Kano must have
something to read, I always say no generation would develop when young people
of that society lack interest in reading.
For
several times ,writers made complaints for being neglected in the past, I think
this is the best time to look at them with critical eyes. Of course it is the
best time because the government has shown a worthy example of how society
should grow through education. The attention of the government in the area of
literary development is to the advantage of the state, when people are
empowered to read there will be high production of reading materials. This will
expand the market of so many businesses in Kano, from the publishers, printers,
bookshops and marketers. Boosting of these businesses will generate more
revenue to the state, the professional printers and publishers basing in Kaduna
and Lagos will definitely find their ways to Kano, because we have everything
to make business successful. By this we can have our birds killed with only one
stone.
Therefore,
I call the attention of Senior Secondary Schools Board to help their students discover
their creativity and talent. They should expose them to literary activities
through forming literary and reading clubs, and also organising literary quiz and
writing competitions. The English teachers should be supported to attend
training and workshops on literature and creative writing, if these are done, I
am sure it will give them more experience to coach their students well.
The
board should partner with relevant bodies and writers association to organise a
grand books exhibition for students and pupils.
It is also pertinent to at least organise an annual literary programme
that will bring the schools together for interaction with writers in the state
and beyond.
Finally,
I would like to conclude my article with a quotation by Francis Bacon where he
said. “Books are ships which pass the vast seas of time.” Of course books are
playing the role of passing history from one generation to another and the
history our dear state can preserve, promoted and publicised through literary
events. The unique history of Kano is yet to be fully explored for the world to
see the glamour and the cultural heritage of the state, I am sure the books
will open the doors for such wonderful journey.
Zaharaddeen
Ibrahim Kallah is the Branch Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors,
Kano State Branch.
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