The Honourable Commissioner for Communications and Digital Economy, Mal. Suleiman Isah, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Alh. Hassan B. Etsu graced the finals of the 2nd edition of the Minna Photography Contest initiated by Timeout4Africa Basketball and Education Foundation, chaired by Mr Jonathan Kolo, and organised by the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF), Minna, Nigeria.
The finals, which were held on 12th October 2024, at the HCAF headquarters along David Mark Road, Maitumbi, Minna, witnessed an increased participation of students from secondary schools in Minna to over thirty participants below 17 years of age.
In his speech, Alh. Hassan B. Etsu commended the Timeout4Africa Foundation and the family of late Ambassador JT Kolo, in whose memory the contest was established, remarking that the Ambassador was a great man of Niger who needs to be properly immortalised by not just his family but Niger State.
He also commended the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation for its unprecedented job of mentoring teenagers to acquire skills, especially in the arts, that will sustain them in the present and future. He further commended the founder, BM Dzukogi, for the wonderful initiative and great foresight that have made it one of the top art organisations in Nigeria for 20 years.
As part of his contributions, he donated N150,000 to the organisation. Furthermore, he has given a directive for the construction of an access road and culvert into the foundation’s headquarters in Minna.
In his remarks, the Honourable Commissioner of Communications and Digital Economy, Mal. Suleiman Isah, who is a regular supporter of the Foundation and is represented by Engr. Abdulhamid emphasised the need for young people to be skilled and do things that will grow themselves and society. The commissioner donated N100,000 to support the contest. He called for institutional support for HCAF, an international brand from Niger State.
In his response, the founder extended his immense appreciation to the numerous supporters of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation for believing in what they do, highlighting the points of Timeout4Africa’s interventions, which did not just stop at sponsoring the Minna Photography Contest but sponsoring artists from around Nigeria to come to the headquarters to attend the Muktar Aliyu Art Residency (MAAR) in Minna. He said the next MAAR has already been paid for by Mr Jonathan’s Timeout4Africa. BM Dzukogi called on Governor Bago of Niger State to build a hostel for them to enable them to extend their numerous art activities to other Local Government Areas by bringing their children to the centre to attend holiday programmes.
The family of Ambassador JT Kolo, represented by Dr. Hauwa, commended the participants for a wonderful outing. She also commended the schools and teachers for guiding the students to realise their potential early. She told them to explore places of opportunity to develop themselves. She called on the Niger State Government to give annual strong support to both Timeout4Africa and Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundations as their activities as NGOs from Niger State remain unmatchable in the state.Â
In a vote of thanks, Mr Habila of Day Secondary School, Maitumbi, agreed with submissions of institutional support to Timeout4Africa and Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation. “They are exporters of our children to the national and international scene, in basketball and art. The state government ought to have invited them and had conversations about how to move forward. We appreciate the guests, sponsors, and Hill-Top Foundation for putting this together.”Â
At the end of the two-day event, the following students emerged as winners among 35 contestants:
1st: Abdullahi Muhammad, Diamond Global Academy, Minna.
2nd: Abdullahi Jibrin Bana, Baiwa International School, Minna.
3rd: Cinwonsoko Marvellous Tsado, FUT Model School, Minna.
4th: Husnarh Muhammad, Diamond Global Academy, Minna.
5th: Ibrahim Maidoki Ibrahim, Baiwa International School, Minna.
6th: Goodluck Adunu Gajere, Day Secondary School, Maitumbi, Minna.
7th: Bulus S. Emmanuel, Day Secondary School, Maitumbi, Minna.
8th: Royalty Peter Vandu, Redeemers High School, Minna.