Every beginning surely has an end, and with every end, another journey begins.
I remember receiving the acceptance mail on a Thursday evening when I just alighted from a bus that drove me from Lagos down to Ibadan—it felt surreal, like a dream displaying right on my phone. My Hannah later got her Samuel—not in Shiloh this time around but in Niger State. A residency at last, after being rejected by one I applied to a few months ago. I was anxious and curious about the new experience because it would be my first time in the northern part of the country. With three days to prepare, I was eager to start the journey; my heart was already invested in the residency.
Monday morning came with a gleam of hope and excitement for the journey ahead. I arrived at the park in Ibadan and waited for four hours until the bus was full. The bus departed at 6 pm, and as we drove away, I watched the brown roofs disappear into the distance. Just an hour into the journey, the driver stopped at a filling station, where we joined a queue that seemed like a winding road, stretching out into a distance with no end in sight. After an hour and a half, we finally got the fuel we needed and continued our journey. The darkness fell like a curtain and the journey continued with frequent stopovers for prayers and meals. Despite the long journey, I wasn’t feeling stressed, thanks to my favorite song by Owl City, ‘My Everything.’ I had expected the journey to take twelve hours but…
As night turned to dawn, we arrived in Lokoja, where we had a minor issue with the bus. The driver didn’t hesitate to call the mechanic to help fix the car. While the bus was being repaired, I took an early morning stroll and was struck by the stunning canyons of Lokoja, which I couldn’t resist capturing with my phone. After a short while, the bus was fixed, and we continued our journey—we passed through the confluence of the rivers Niger and Benue, and it was an endless ocean. What a beautiful work of nature!
As we continued on our way, passengers got off at their various stops. We journeyed for another two hours, and the capital city of Nigeria welcomed us—this was more than just a trip to me; it was an excursion. Abuja greeted us with its rugged landscape, towering mountains, and scenic Highlands, including the breathtaking Zuma Rock. As I marvelled at the city’s beauty, the driver announced that he wouldn’t be going directly to Minna and that he’d dropped us off in Abuja instead. I was confused because I thought we were heading straight to Minna, but it turned out we’d be dropped off in Abuja, a city I had never visited before.
The other passenger told me to be calm, saying that he knew his way around here and that he was also going to Minna. I followed him closely, like a chick following its mother. We continued on our way for another three hours until we finally reached Minna.
It was exactly one o’clock in the afternoon that I reached my destination in Minna, Niger State. At last! The journey that seemed like that of the Israelites later reached the promised land. I was welcomed by Baba BM Dzukogi, Mr. Makama, Aliyu, and Auwal; it was as if they’d known me for years. They showed me the way to the residency, and an hour after I arrived, my co-resident, Yahuza, arrived, too. As I settled in, a new chapter began.
During the first two days of the residency, I was honoured to be part of the judges for the Minna Photography contest alongside Sadiq Mustapha, sponsored by Time Out 4 Africa, which went well. Meanwhile, our residency experience was officially kicked off with an inaugural event as pioneer residents, and we were also interviewed by NTA and the residency’s channel, too.
How could I forget the day Yahuza made me taste Masa for the first time? It was a nice meal, even though it took me almost three hours to finish it. My bond with Yahuza went beyond mere friendship. The residency fostered a supportive community and environment that helped us grow personally and professionally.
In addition to forming a strong bond with my fellow residents, I am deeply grateful for the support and care shown by Mr. Makama. Even when he wasn’t around, he’d call to ask about our well-being. Thanks to Mr. Abel for the care. The same goes for Aliyu, who would constantly check on us via WhatsApp when he couldn’t make the physical visit. Auwal, too, would make sure he came physically to ask if we needed anything. Emmanuel can never be left out; he is a beautiful soul who would check on us physically and via phone. As he would always say, “Art is thicker than blood,” this residency truly proved that. They taught me some Hausa, and I’m glad I learned the few I could. Also, we had art sessions together where we discussed and improved on one another. Hill-Top is a family, and Muktar Aliyu Art Residency’s organizers were like relatives, supporting us every step of the way.
I’ve been working on my two chapbooks for a while now, but this residency provided a conducive and serene environment to finish working on them, and I hope they will come alive after this residency. The 21-day granted me access to create stunning artwork, as well as some photographs with my brothers here. I am also grateful that I was able to mentor Mahmoud in art, and I’m elated to say I can boast about him when it comes to his painting prowess, this, too, is another achievement. Also, Yahuza and I are both working on a joint project that will be out later; poetry and visual art.
I am grateful to Baba BM Dzukogi for what he does for art in the country; his support cannot be overemphasized. Thanks to Baba’s dedication and support for art, many young authors have emerged and are still rising from the foundation.
Life is truly but a fleeting breath. The thought that the residency has ended already breaks my heart. I wish the 21-day residency could last forever, but every sunrise is followed by a sunset, and every sunset gives rise to a new dawn.
