A confluence of verse, vision rounds off Kano Literary Space 2025
By Fatima Garba Yusuf AYM
KANO’S literary community came alive for a vibrant end-of-year session on December 26, 2025, and was marked by spirited poetic performances, intelligent discourse, and forward-looking roadmap for the region’s creative industry. The event entertained senior writers such as ANA Kano Chairman, Dr. Murtala Uba, Sani Abba, Kabiru Musa Jammaje, and Sumayya, among others. Teen poets and other creative minds graced the event, with refreshment graciously provided by generous donors such as Dr. Awele Ilusanmi, Dr. Bilkisu Yusuf Ali, and some participants that fueled the thrilling session.
Celebrated bilingual author and poet, Malam Khalid Imam opened the event after attendees introduced themselves and reflected on their best performances or much-talked-about pieces of the year. Thereafter, the group broke up for Asr prayer. Imam then stated that the event served both as a celebration of creativity, new talents and critical reflection on the future.
The first session was presided over by the former Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Kano Chapter, Mr. Tijjani Muhammad Musa, who called on the writers to make presentations on any genre of their choice. The session thus opened with a foundational exploration of impactful writing, leading into a curated poetry round that examined the intersection of identity and social commentary.
Opening the floor were intriguing pieces like ‘What’ by Muhammad Sa’eed and ‘Why’ by Salman Nasir Abdullahi, followed soon afterwards by the poetic narrative, ‘The Question’ by Abbas Yusuf. Safiyya’s ‘Women’ poked at crucial feminine concerns in the conventional Northern Nigerian society, where a young lady is constantly harangued to get married without proper orientation while being discouraged from pursuing her dreams.
Other key presentations included a welcoming song by Imsak, ‘Marhaba’, a poignant interrogation of national unity by Fatima AYM, ‘One Nigeria?’ and ‘Everything I’m Not’ by Amira Muhammad Ma’aji, which offered a raw exploration of self-perception.
Poet and film producer, Kabiru Musa Jammaje (left); bilingual poet and journalist, Arch. Tijjani Muhammad Musa; Hausa poet and Chairman, ANA Kano Chpater, Dr. Murtala Mohammed Uba and President, Kano Literary Space and convener, Khalid Imam at the year-end event… in Kano
There was also the recital of a number of ‘Engausa’ poems such as ‘Bankwana’ that affirms the growing acceptance of the genre. ‘Engausa’ is a new poetic genre very popular now in the North where poems are presented using mixed codes, with English and Hausa languages. “When an Engausa poem is recited, you are immediately drawn to the persona…,” Musa pointed out as part of his commentary on the poetic presentations. It was also noted that the ‘Engausa’ genre seems to be fast gaining popularity, especially among Northern Nigerian female poets.
Following the performances, the atmosphere shifted to a lighter note during the refreshment break. Participants enjoyed a generous spread of tofu pastries, fish, and traditional zobo, alongside assorted sweets and dates. The organizers sincerely appreciated the donors whose contributions fostered the sense of community.
The event transitioned from performance to pedagogy with a Literary Quiz that tested participants on literary devices, creative language and general aptitude. The quizz session involved the splitting of young participants into two groups, as moderated by a Mass Communication student from Bayero University Kano, Amina. The session evoked excitement and rejuvenation, especially after the tasty snacks.
A major highlight of the day was the appearance of the well-established proprietor of English language learning centres, Kabiru Musa Jammaje, who also tagged himself a ‘resurrected’ poet. Jammaje reflected on his past journey and renewed embrace of poetry. He also announced an upcoming Edutainment series that promise to feature heated contest in an ‘Engausa’ community setting. The project is currently scouting for actors, he disclosed, with filming scheduled for January and a projected release in May 2026.
The Executive Director of CITAD, Engr. Y.Z. Yau, introduced as a perennial supporter of ‘River Niger of Literary Thought’, delivered a powerful wrap-up address for the year. His remarks focused on the practicality and preservation of the literary craft. Ya’u, who has established himself through various social impact endeavours, including technical training, community outreaches and publications, asserted that writing without context is impractical, and a community that fails to write is a community un-preserved.
He urged writers to move past the fear of judgment. “Don’t hide yourselves,” he advised, emphasizing that critique and rigorous review are the only paths to excellence.
While acknowledging the natural human pursuit of wealth, he noted that “money finishes, but a published book is permanent and un-erasable.”
While addressing the “poor reading culture” myth, Ya’u argued that reading culture hasn’t died but evolved into audiovisual and short-form content (the ‘140 characters’ phenomenon). However, he maintained that the inherent beauty of long-form narration and poetry is something technology can never truly replace.
The event came to an end with the official introduction of the Kano Review, a new cornerstone for the local literary space. Two major announcements were made for the upcoming year: Spoken Word Competitio slated for March and Zance-Zance, as a special event to commemorate World Poetry Day.
A prayer was said by Abba Musa Idris that gave participants renewed sense of duty toward their craft.
