By Uzair Adam
One of the most engaging sessions of the ongoing Kano International Poetry and Art Festival (KAPFEST 2025) was the Mudi-speaking Slam Competition, which shone a spotlight on young poets with powerful performances on the theme of ‘Poetry in Times of Crisis.’
The contest, part of the three-day festival organised by the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, featured 18 shortlisted contestants out of 65 entries. After three competitive rounds, three winners emerged, each receiving a cash prize.
Shafa’atu Ahmad won first place with a prize of N500,000, followed by Muhammad Ubandoma, who came second and received N300,000, while Nazeer Sulaiman took the third position with N200,000.
Speaking after the event, one of the judges, Abba Musa Idris, popularly known as Abdurabbihi, said the competition was both exciting and challenging.
He stated that, “Judging is never easy because everyone comes with creativity and strong emotions. But the session was impressive, especially as many contestants were performing for the first time and still advanced to later rounds.
“The whole idea is to encourage new artists, and I am impressed with the fresh voices that emerged,” Abdurabbihi added.
The festival’s Literary Lead, Abdulbasit Abubakar, described the slam as one of the most vibrant parts of KAPFEST.
He noted that, “There is always this rush of adrenaline and energy at the slam. It gives young poets the chance to be known for their craft, and seeing their passion convinces me that many of them will do great things.”
Shafa’atu, who hails from Kaduna, described her victory as both surprising and rewarding. “It feels amazing. Honestly, when I was making the pieces, I thought they weren’t good enough. But it turns out they are actually good,” she said.
She explained that all her poems were composed explicitly for the contest, drawing inspiration from her real-life experiences.
“Every one of the poems was written because of this competition. I would like to thank Hilton Creative Arts Foundation for nurturing me, Poetic Wednesdays for making this possible, and my parents for their support.
“To every victim of crisis whose stories I borrowed to compose these pieces, I hope they find peace, and I hope it never leaves them,” she added.
The winners, all new names in the poetry scene, said the platform has given them confidence and visibility.
The slam session added colour to the festival, which also features panel discussions, exhibitions, and poetry nights, highlighting Kano’s growing place in Nigeria’s literary and artistic landscape.