The Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF) launches a new online journal for her residency, the Muktar Aliyu Art Residency (MAAR) which is located at the headquarters of the Foundation, along David Mark Road, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The unveiling is scheduled for the end of May 2025 during the graduation ceremony of the current fellows of the residency: Mujahid Ameen Lilo (MAAR 005) from Kano State, Nigeria and Ebri Kowaki (MAAR 006) from Enugu State, Nigeria. This makes HCAF’s journals three in Nigeria.
The contributions of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation to Nigerian literature and art have become indispensable in the new era of art administration in the country. It is the oldest modern art organisation in Nigeria, established over 20 years ago (2004) by BM Dzukogi.
Its primary focus is on young writers and artists. There are about twenty branches in Nigeria. The young artists of 2004 are now some of the influential writers in Nigeria today. Saddiq Dzukogi is their flagship, being the first member of the Foundation. However, there are a few authors and artists who predated Saddiq under BM Dzukogi’s tutelage.
In this piece, we are focusing on the journals of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation. The foundation, before now, has two prominent journals and a sister one owned by the Northern Writers Forum (NWF). The new journal is under Muktar Aliyu Art Residency (MAAR), managed by Zainab Dzukogi.
The Nigeria Review (www.nigeriareview.com.ng) is a journal of HCAF exclusively established to cater for the review of books in Nigeria, Africa and the world. COVID-19 inspired its coming about. The journal is the first Nigerian online literary journal that does not feature anything other than reviews. Some of the editors have been Prof. Tony Oha, Saddiq Dzukogi, Ismail Bala, Olumide Ojo Emmanuel, Muiz Opeyemi and Isaiah Gbenga Adepoju. The managers have been Akor Oche, Yusuf BM, and Ibraheem Uthman (Lonely Poet), respectively. It is in its 7th Edition. The Nigeria Review has over 150 critical essays and reviews published in it so far, covering critical essays, fiction, poetry, drama, and film, among other categories.
It has enjoyed the features of influential contributors from academics, writers, and readers, prominent among whom are: Prof. Anthony Oha, Prof. Asabe Kabir, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, Prof. Razinat Mohammed, Prof. Aliyu Kamal, late Prof Abubakar Othman, Prof. Tunde Olusunle, Dr. Ismail Bala, Dr. Shamsudeen Bello, Barr. Ahmed Maiwada, Paul Liam, Clara Ijeoma Usuji, Nengi Josef Ilagha, Uthman Qasim, Akwu Sunday Victor, Chidiebere Enyia, Ngwaba Ijeoma Ann, Dr. Onyebuchi James, Onyebuchi Nwosu, Angeline Debbie Haywood, Khalid Imam, Amatare Mozimo, Dr. Omolola Ladele, Uchenna Emelife, Nekha Fathima Sulficar, Sunday Saheed, Haneefah AbdulRahman, Martin Ezimano, Aisha Umar, and more.
The second journal of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, which debuted in August 2021, is LitVo – Literature Voices (www.literaturevoices.com.ng), exclusively designed to focus on interviewing writers. It is the only of its kind in Nigeria as well; nothing else is published therein, except interviews.
LitVo was first edited by Halima Katun Ahmad with Prof. Anthony Oha as the Guest Editor. Thereafter, Haneefah AbdulRahman became the current Editor-in-Chief. A total of 67 interviews are on LitVo at the moment, including Dr. Okey Ndibe, Dr. Uthman Akanbi, Prof. Ahmed Yerima, Dike Chukwumerije, and Onyeka Nwelue, Barr. Ahmed Maiwada, Dr. Mu’azu Maiwada, Lola Shineyin, Prof. Asabe Kabir Usman, Su’eddie Agema, Uche Peter Umez, Hafsat Abdullahi, Safiya Yero, Dr. Bukar Usman, Prof. Niyi Osundare, Olumide Olaniyan, Julie Weiss, Abu Bakr Saddiq, Prof. Obari Gomba, Oyin Olugbile, Ukamaka Olisakwe, Diego Okenyodo, Aisha AbdulKareem, Khalid Imam, Isyaku Bala Ibrahim, Gimba Kakanda, Sada Malumfashi, Eriata Oribagbor, Hamza Qoudri, Late Biyi Bandele, Brigitte Poirson, Mbunge Aliyeparara, Philis Katheu, Chika Unigwe, Surbhi Gupta, Fatima Bala, Zaynab Ilyasu Bobi, Julius Bokuru, Adedayo Agarau, Razak Malik Gbolahan, Dr. Ola Ifatimehin, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Samson Kukogho Eruesiri, Tee Jay Dan, Dr. Ibrahim Dooba, Prof. Abdu Saleh, Prof. Albishak, Jude Idada, Richard Ali, Dr. Wale Okediran, and Michael Enearu among others.
Therefore, the forthcoming MAAR REVIEW becomes the 3rd on a list of online journals of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Minna, Nigeria. Unlike her sister journals, this one’s focus is on anything art. For a start, Issue 1 covers poetry, fiction, non-fiction and visual arts. It is open to all categories of ages.
Our community, across Nigeria, has another journal created and managed by the Northern Writers Forum (NWF), an offshoot of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation. It is called NWFjournal (www.nwfjournal.com.ng). NWF is a registered art organisation in Nigeria, owned and managed by young Nigerian writers such as Zakiyyah Dzukogi, AbdulRazaq Salihu, Ibraheem Uthman, Willy Makama, Khadijat Abdullahi, Yusrah Dzukogi, and others.
All journals of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation are managed by young writers/people which falls in line with the core philosophy of the foundation to, not only provide profound platforms for their growth but also offer them opportunities to take up big tasks of management and leadership whence even adults will patronise their services because of quality.
Profound gratitude to Akor Oche (Kogi), Olumide Ojo Emmanuel (Niger), Yusuf BM (Niger), Ibraheem Uthman (Niger), Muiz Opeyemi (Lagos), Bolaji Abdullahi (Lagos), Isaiah Gbenga Adepoju (Osun), Haneefah AbdulRahaman (Kogi), Halima Katun (Niger), Zakiyyah Dzukogi (Niger), AbdulRazaq Salihu (Niger), Sunday Saheed (Ogun), Mujahid Ameen Lilo (Kano), Fati Salihu (Niger), and many others. And now, to the new team at MAAR Review: Adamu Yahuza Abdullahi (Kwara), Michael Emerald (Oyo), Victoria Ilemobayo (Lagos), and Judith L. Maikaho (Gombe), we say, welcome to the community of doers.
Special thanks to Professor Anthony Oha, who stood as the pioneer Assessor and Guest Editor of the Nigeria Review (TNR) and Literature Voices (LitVo). Prof. Okey Ndibe offered to support us when Pa Ikhide tried to rubbish the young people’s efforts in 2020. Dr. Ndibe advised us to continue without looking back. Thank you, sir. It has been over 5 years already.
We have come up with a new all-inclusive journal for the growth of young Nigerian artists, under our residency programme (Muktar Aliyu Art Residency). We ask for more support from around the world.
See you all at the unveiling: The MAAR Review
BM Dzukogi
Founder, Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Nigeria.
