Kano International Poetry Festival

By Uzair Adam

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has criticised successive governments in Northern Nigeria for neglecting education while focusing on roads and flyovers, warning that the region is sliding behind the rest of the country.

Sanusi spoke on Saturday as a panellist at the Kano International Poetry and Art Festival (KAPFES), organised by the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, during a session themed “Beyond Words: Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Literacy Potential.”

The former Central Bank governor recalled how Kano State sponsored his secondary and university education in the 1970s and 1980s, covering tuition, living expenses, and allowances. 

He said, “My parents did not pay a dime. Why is it that the younger generation has not been able to get those benefits? Something went wrong in terms of the political class and its priorities.”

He argued that leaders must channel “huge resources” into schools, scholarships, and teacher training rather than spending billions on physical projects. 

“It’s nice to have beautiful flyovers and underpasses, but you are building these roads for uneducated children to walk on. Who will maintain them in the future?” the Emir queried.

Describing education as the most valuable investment, Sanusi stressed that it is the only asset that cannot be inherited or taken away. 

“You can be given money, a house, or even a political position, and all of these can disappear. But once you are educated, no one, no ruler, no oppressor can take it away from you,” he said.

He linked Northern Nigeria’s current setbacks to colonial policies that discourage the growth of an intellectual Muslim class. 

According to him, Arabic literacy, despite its intellectual depth, was devalued under British rule and is still treated as illiteracy today.

Sanusi also highlighted the role of language as a barrier, calling for the adoption of mother tongues in teaching. 

“In Germany, you study in German; in France, you study in French; in China, you study in Mandarin. Why can’t a doctor be trained in Hausa, Yoruba, or Igbo?” he asked, noting that mother-tongue instruction reduces dropout rates and improves learning outcomes.

Challenging conventional views of schooling, he argued that communities should utilise available spaces, such as mosques, as temporary classrooms instead of waiting years for new buildings. 

“If a mosque is vacant between morning prayers and the afternoon, why can’t children be taught there?” he asked.

The Emir concluded with a call for leaders, policymakers, and citizens to humanise statistics. “When we say three million children are out of school, these are not just numbers. 

“This is somebody’s son, somebody’s daughter, a future mother on the street without hope. In everything we do, we must ask ourselves: who is the human being at the end of it?”

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.

By Uzair Adam 

The second edition of the Kano International Poetry Festival, organised by the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, has opened in Kano, with a focus on using poetry and art to advocate for peace in a time of crisis.

The three-day event, which began on Thursday, was formally declared open on Friday under the theme “Celebrating Poetry in a Time of Crisis.”

The Daily Reality reports that the festival drew an audience of writers, poets, academics and art enthusiasts from different parts of the country, further strengthening Kano’s place as an important centre of literary and cultural expression.

Speaking at the opening, Nasiba Babale, the Creative Director of the initiative, said the festival aims to remind people of the power of poetry and art in fostering peace and development. 

“We are just trying to remind ourselves how we can use poetry and art to advocate for peace in a time of crisis that we have in Northern Nigeria,” she said.

She explained that the festival features a variety of activities, including a panel discussion with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sunusi II, a grand poetry slam with a prize of one million naira, a poetry and music night, an art and poetry exhibition, and a poetry dispensary.

According to Ms Babale, the festival, first held in 2024 at Bayero University, Kano, is expected to draw between 300 and 500 participants. 

Guests are attending from across the country, including Lagos, Kaduna, Minna, Jos, and Zaria, as well as virtual participants from outside Nigeria.

Also speaking, one of the participants, the renowned writer BM Dzukogi from Niger State, said the festival was “beautifully organised” and praised its broad reach in bringing artists together from across Nigeria.

The veteran writer, who also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his service and dedication to the arts, added that young writers must embrace responsibility, creativity, and innovation to make meaningful contributions to society.