Celebrating the literary legacy of Dzukogi, father of teen authors with confab, book
By Editor
AN impressive line up of activities has been mapped out to celebrate Minna-born writer, BM Dzukogi, who is regarded as the father of teen authors in his fervent promotion of teenage writers in the northern part of the country. A writer himself, and a former Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dzukogi founded Minna-based Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation that caters to the creative needs of teen authors and other category of writers in the north.
On January 14, 2025, BM Dzukogi will be 60 years old. Therefore, his family, committee of friends, and the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF) have planned a year-long literary celebration to honour him. The celebration is divided into phases starting in February 2024 with a call for essays by the Local Organizing Committee. In September, there will be the publication of a book on titled BM Dzukogi: Bequeathing a Literary Heritage. In October, 2024, the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation headquarters, Minna, Niger State, will be commissioned at its 20th anniversary. And in January 2025 will be held a 3-day National Conference on BM Dzukogi (January 12 – 14, 2025).
A call for essays on the following sub-theme has been made. They include ‘Pioneering Contemporary Teen Authorship in Nigeria: the BM Dzukogi Mission,’ ‘Mentorship and Nigerian Literature: the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation Model,’ ‘The Writer, Society and Regeneration,’ ‘The Writer as a Non-conformist,’ ‘The Writer as a Revolutionary Artist,’ ‘The Writer as a Literary Activist,’ ‘The Writer as a Philosopher,’ ‘The Writer as a Social Commentator,’ ‘The Writer as a Political Analyst,’ ‘The Writer and the Nigerian Child,’ ‘The Writer and the Girl-child,’ ‘The Writer and the Environment’ and ‘Dzukogi: The Short Story Writer.’
BM Dzukogi
Others are ‘Dzukogi: the Essayist,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Revolutionary Poet,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Mentor,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Innovative Art Administrator,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Sportsman & Sports Administrator,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Teacher & Educationist,’ ‘Dzukogi: the De-tribalised Citizen,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Family Man and His House of Poets,’ ‘Dzukogi: the Public Speaker,’ ‘Dzukogi and the Nigerian Youth,’ ‘Dzukogi as a Newspaper Columnist,’ ‘Dzukogi and Social Media Engagements,’ ‘Dzukogi as a Political Speculator (SEA): A Review’ and ‘Tributes on BM Dzukogi.’
Contributors are advised to send in essays to: bmdzukogiat60@gmail.com. Deadline is April 30, 2024. Dr. Kamar Hamza, Ismail Bala Garba and Dr. Ola Ifatimehin have been proposed as editors.
