THE CREATIVE INK OF KANO

The Creative Writers’ Forum of ANA Kano for the month of February, was held at the American Corner on 22^nd February, 2014. The forum was chaired by Tijjani Muhammad Musa who coordinated the two rounds of creative work presentation.

The first round began with a poem entitled, “My Life” by Baraka Muhammad Chamo. The poem was written on mothers but could take other meanings poetically. Every line of the four stanza poem ends with a rhyme. The last stanza of the poem read thus:

All my indoors and outdoors of life,

Doesn’t, make me to ignore in life,

The logic of making my life,

How pretty are you the precious life.

The second presentation was a poem entitled, “In the Gate of Kano” by Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah. It was a historical poem narrating one of the battles fought between Kanawa and Damagarawa. The fourth stanza of the poem read:

It was ‘Damagarawa’ against ‘Kanawa’

Who fought in the rays of scorching sun

Suddenly, a star appeared in the day light

That dressed and masked in their style

And showered death on to them

To feed the thirsty earth

In the rain of dust

Tijjani Muhammad Musa presented a poem with the title, “20 Borno Abducted Girls” being a poetic protest against twenty girls abducted by unknown men in Borno state. The content, tone and diction of the presentation were emotionally touching. Two stanzas of the poem read as:

Now, it stands clear for all

With a conscience to see

That a girl-child is to cherish

And a virgin is to pride upon.

Not 1, 2, 6 or even a dozen

Imagine one such of yours

Forcefully taken, to be-kept

Against all known true creeds.

Tijjani’s poem also looked at those who do not care about their citizens and go to asleep peacefully, while they are the ones to intervene.

The last poem in the round was entitled, “I was Duped” was presented by Gwa Dominic Doohemba. The writer was metaphorically duped by his country, Nigeria. As he was raised by the country and he promised to be faithful, loyal and honest but things are not going the way they ought to. And the moment he tried to break from the country, he holds back to his noble pledge. The second stanza of his poem read:

You duped me Nigeria

Little muscles I start to develop

To serve you with all my strength

You made me pledge

Tales of men of valour you lured

Seduced by your green fields I was

Your diverse culture you enticed

Enchanted by your serene valleys

Embraced by your virgin land

To explore the world on the verge

But tempted with unadulterated springs

I was duped

The second round began with a short story entitled, “My Story” presented by Nazir Ibrahim Kallah. It was a story inside a story where the character was reading a novel, “The Unwilling Sacrifice” and later began to relate it with his own case, whether same thing that happened to the character will happen to him. In the novel, a guy Hanif felt in love with Fatima but refused to tell her until when it was too late, and that caused his death. Before his death, Hanif on his hospital bed, composed a poem, two stanzas of the poem read:

Remember yesterday there was no me

But today you talk and chat with me

While tomorrow you will find not me

You will talk, chat and play not with me

If you stand by the grave of me

Remember tomorrow you will be like me

So never separate true loves, just like me

Imagine how love ruin the life of innocent me

A poem “The Soul’s Blood” was also presented by Tijjani Muhammad Musa. The seven stanza poem dwelt on lessons that could be applied to our daily life. This could be to those who become servants of their souls by following the desires of their hearts. In one of his stanzas, it was written:

But for any gullible soul

That allows itself lured

A choice by itself is made

To justifying its loss

Thus the wait till eternity

Begins slowly, in earnest

Also in the second round, Yaseer Kallah presented a poem entitled, “I Cry” forcing him to reveal the secret in his heart. The poet cried in absence of his love one that moved away. In the second stanza, the poet lamented their closeness when he said:

So close we had been

Like a kohl, to the eyes

Like a powder, to the face

Like a cloud, to the rain

Like a petals, to the touch

Like a scent, to the nose

Like a star, to the night

Like a taste to a tongue

Like a song, to the lips

Like a dream, to the eyes

Like a wave, to the ocean

Like a sun, to the day

Like a moon, to the night

My love you run so far

While I’m so much old.

Isa Muhammad Inuwa presented his poem entitled, “He is not dead”.  The poem is a eulogy to renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Albani who was assassinated together with his wife and their son. It is a poem in form of dream denying that the deceased is dead. It was believed that martyrdom like in the case of Sheikh Albani is an automatic ticket to paradise, because he was killed in the cause of serving Allah and His religion. The first two stanzas of this poem read thus:

Sheikh Albani is not dead!

I saw him hale and hilarious in glory

He was happiest and bustling with joy

In the blissful ambience of God!

He had his dinner in the inner room

Of the highest palace of Paradise

He munched heavenly meat and fruits

As he chatted with his slain wife and son

The next presentation was by the same poet, Isa Muhammad Inuwa with his poem entitled, “Murtala”. The month of February was the month the Nigerian hero and head of the state, General Murtala Ramat was assassinated. It was an irreparable monumental loss to Nigeria and Africa. The month marked thirty eight years of his departure to the domain of peace. Part of the poem read:

We’re still drenched in our tears of sorrow

Over the yawning chasm your

Demise created in our midst

Decades and years upon years are

Gone by, the wounds can’t heal and

We can’t forgive your rascal assassins!

We can’t forget the black Friday

February 13 you were shot down by

Dimka and his drunkard military miscreants!

That was something from the poet about Murtala, the man who tried to change the way Africans think. He was one of the most fearless leaders ever produced by Nigeria, a leader who fought corruption with his whole strength. May Allah grant him eternal peace and the highest honor in Heaven.

The second round was rounded up with a presentation from Safiyya Ibrahim Abdulhamid who read from her latest book entitled, “Destined by the Rhythm”. In the book Safiyya tried to connect between science and poetry, just like British poet, Diana Syder whose book, Maxwell’s Rainbow (2002) is acclaimed as one of the best collections of science-based poetry.  

The programme was ended with a vote of thanks by the branch Secretary, Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah.

By

Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah

dinik2003@yahoo.co.uk

africanglobalpoet.blogspot.com