The Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF), through the support of Alh.Nma Kolo, Dr. Murtala Bagana and Mal. Umar Saleh Gwani from Bauchi has established a literature and art website for writers and artists in Minna, the capital city of Niger State.
It was inspired by the suggestion from Mr. Francis Sokomba that Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation applied to UNESCO to designate Minna as a city of literature, seeing Minna’s standing in the development of literature in Africa. He had earlier, single-handedly, worked for the designation of Bida as a UNESCO City of Folk Art and Craft.
We did apply with full cooperation of HE Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago, the Governor of Niger State, who duly signed the necessary letters to UNESCO in Abuja and Paris. It is out of that process that HCAF thought of a standing website for Minna as a city of literature, whether it is designated or not. And here we are. While Haj. Nma Kolo and Dr. Bagana donated cash for the project, Umar Saleh Gwani bought the website for the project and promised to renew it annually.
The objective is to show to the world, at a glance, the history, development and future trajectory of literary art in Minna city. It is to show as well, the leading role, relevance, contributions, standing and importance of Minna Art Movement as a formidable force in Nigeria which may have never been reported properly, and to show example to other cities in Nigeria, especially Northern Nigeria that, documenting a city’s art in modern platforms is highly desirable. This website, will continue to grow in content and formidability until everything art, in Minna city, has been recorded on it. We shall be reporting art and cultural news of Minna on it, daily. It will be used to report cultural trends, happenings and events in Minna.
Some of the current features to visit and read on the website are: getting to know Minna; writers from Minna and Niger State; the city and her history; art organisations and journals that have their roots in the city, including some national bodies for arts; photography in Minna; Spoken word in Minna; Painting, Minna Monographs; Cultural Facilities, Minna Royalty and Traditional Institution; Literary Festivals and Prizes from Minna; Minna: Valley of Poets and Writers; Art Patrons of Minna; and more.
We have also posted our idea of a National Book Development Plan for Nigeria designed by the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Northern Writers Forum and Polarsphere Media Limited. It is a detailed plan for the growth of the book in Nigeria. We hope the Governor of Niger State will take it forward for implementation by the Federal Government or even Niger State herself.
The website shall be accepting verifiable contents from individuals in the city for featuring. Send pieces that are accompanied by relevant pictures to howshalliknow@gmail.com, for possible consideration. Writers from Minna or who are resident in Niger State and are yet to be featured should send their well-written profiles with quality picture to the same email.
To achieve the content generation for the website, we had to build a team that has been working for about one and a half months now. They are: Ibraheem Uthman (in charge of the design and management), Peter Kwange, Olumide Ojo Emmanuel, Mal. Ibrahim Shuaibu (Ajagunana), Abdulrahman Abu-Yaman, Makama Shekwo’aga, Fatima Salihu, Adamu Idris Manarakis, Hussaina Idris Manarakis, Zakiyyah Dzukogi, Alhaji Baba Akote, Mr. Francis Sokomba, Yusuf BM, Isyaku Bala Ibrahim, Abel Onafurume, Awwal Sakiwa, and Dr. Kamar Hamza.
This effort matches the Urban renewal of Gov. Mohammed Umaru Bago whose pro-active tendency to give Niger State a new lease of life, should inspire all Nigerlites for innovative things. A renewed state capital will attract new and old comers into her, what will they see, what entertainment will they get, and what cultural values will they learn? This Website intends to lead visitors to the heart, art and culture of Minna for their maximum stay.