How controversy marred Hausa Writers day

presentations receives accolades, becomes an instant celebrity. None of these took place at this writers’ event, held because of them. One would think he is attending a Ranar Mawaka (Singers Day, celebrated in Gusau the Capital of Jigawa State last year), because every paper presentation is either preceded by a “nishadi”, interlude, or there is […]

presentations receives accolades, becomes an instant celebrity. None of these took place at this writers’ event, held because of them. One would think he is attending a Ranar Mawaka (Singers Day, celebrated in Gusau the Capital of Jigawa State last year), because every paper presentation is either preceded by a “nishadi”, interlude, or there is one immediately after the presentation, and those singers took as much time as they wanted. Perhaps this has to do with the amount of money sprayed on them, I don’t know. But they did get lots of money from the few dignataries that were there, as well as from some writers, but I didn’t see any of the professors spraying anything. I might be wrong. 

I noticed one of the policemen attached to one commissioner hungrily looking at the money sprayed at the feet of the singer, even made a move to help him pack it then changed his mind. Only this country does that to its policemen.

This is when things took a twist, after one of the writers from Kano, walked up to the MC, who had been presenting the event eloquently from day one, and whispered something in his ear. Then we heard the MC saying “I am not going to allow it! It is not in the program of events! I can’t see how I can allow you read anything!” 

Murmurs started coming from behind, followed by agitations that writers must be allowed to read from their books, and the MC insisting that that he was not going to allow them come on stage and read lies to the dignitaries. 

Hot words flew between the MC and the agitated writers standing in groups from behind. The said dignitaries quietly watched the debacle from the high table.  

One of the agitators from the writers side was the organizing secretary of the event, she was fuming and insisting that writers should be allowed to read, and the MC retorted that when the two of them were drafting the programme, the organizing secretary did not mention any writers’ reading? 

At that point, some of the participants started leaving, because it looked like things were going to take a very bad turn, with some of the writers removing their babban riga, ready to go on stage come what may, while angry women were being held back by fellow writers.

The event was also marred by the ushers, who only gave food or water to people they knew. You will just be sitting, someone will come serving food and will give it to you to pass on to a friend or a family member. This went on throughout the three-day event. If you wanted a sachet of pure water, you just had to go buy one for yourself, though food and drinks were being served. You would see rows of participants sitting without water while those behind were busy eating and drinking Fura da Nono! That is too bad for a state whose slogan is Dakin kara! (Home of hospitality). It is obvious those who handled the item 7 part of the event didn’t value people, wherever they came from or who they are, they put a big dent in the running on the event.

Secondly, no writer was invited to the high table, apart from the professors and international participants that came from Niger Republic. A few were invited to the side table, including the former ANA Kano chairman, Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino and Muhammad Danjuma Katsina (the writer). The absence of Association of Nigerian Authors was notable. As was that of important dignitaries. We all know there is an intellectual kwashiorkor among our high and mighty, who hardly attend literary events because it challenges the intellect, preferring instead to masticate the fast food that is the entertainment aspect of the art.

I mean, where will Great Britain be in the history of the world without her Shakespeare and Frost? 

In conclusion, I would like to point out that, writing is a special gift, whether inherited or acquired, because when the Glorious Qur’an said  “read”, there is the hidden part that you have to apply your intelligence to be able to decipher, because if you are being asked to read, there must be something written that you are going to read from, so based on this, the question we should all ask ourselves is, in this world, if you are not a writer, and you are not a reader, then what are you?