Motto:- Say no to Language Extinction
This is a Nupe language and literacy/literary organisation established by Adamu Idris Manarakis to preserve, promote and develop its autography and literatures for studies and public utilisation.
VISION
To encourage the use of Niger State’s indigenous languages in both spoken and written forms within the family, community and in official circles to preserve and promote them.
MISSION
To create a world class Niger State Lndigenous Languages Institute that provides critical services, practices, studies, training, academic spaces, publishing, residency, teaching, policies, festivals, prizes, film related activities, documentaries for accelerated actualisation of ILLEC’s vision.
AIMS
Indigenous language learning centre (ILLEC) is one of the institutions designed to improve the indigenous languages in our educational sector and outside it. Its establishment can be seen as part of the commitment to building a solid foundation for the realization of the educational and cultural policies of Niger State. It is in an attempt to produce a lasting solution to the problems listed below that the establishment of ILLEC in 2019 happened: To encourage the learning of Nigerian languages in an environment which shall prepare the students to speak the language fluently and acquire proficiency in teaching the Nigerian languages; to acquire competence in research for solution to problems on teaching Nigerian languages in all levels of education in Nigeria; to award certificates (diploma and others) to qualified students; to operate for the benefit of Primary and secondary school teachers of Nigerian languages as well ass Tertiary institutions’ teachers of Nigerian languages; and to service Government and non-government personnel who are interested in acquiring communication skills in Nigerian languages.
MANARAKIS’ FACTOR IN ILLEC
Adamu Idris Manarakis is the founder of ILLEC. He was never a literature student from the beginning. He studied Building Technology from Eyagi Technical College, Bida, then Building Technology Education from College of Education, Minna, then the same Building Technology Education at his first Degree programme from Federal University of Technology, Minna. After a Post Graduate Diploma programme in Nigerian Languages, he is currently studying Masters Degree in Linguistics with Nasarawa State University (NSUK), Keffi.
HOW ILLEC STARTED
ILLEC started from Manarakis’ effort to start teaching Nupe Language unconventionally on his own without a teacher to guide him. Manarakis relied on the available Nupe books to guide him. The books were written by British Anthropologists, Nupe Historians, Nupe Researchers and so on. He also consulted old Nupe adults in different communities of Nupe land.
On 19th November, 2010, Manarakis was inspired by an article he read written by a British Anthropologist; A.W. Banfield. He took the idea to Facebook with a little poem. Interestingly, that Nupe poem fueled his energy to kick-start a research on Nupe Language. The poem was loved by many friends on Facebook which attracted about 400 likes and comments.
THE FIRST NUPE POEM WRITTEN BY MANARAKIS
Adamu Idris Manarakis
Alita kpata ndondo eyan chuchuchi nyo’.
(ede’ chin fatima) On November 19th 2010.
soko yefa egban be’
ena wolabe mayi chinlene’
yatigiti, ya’ jin ngakpea
yamantsanma ya’ wagintara
yakpan giyekpan wanto gintara
ankuri wuan man’ eyan tsutsucha
eyan be’ rayi gawuan mao’
fatima, ede’ chin
fatima, saiyyigabe
soko la’ bachozhi ze’ emin yawe’
ganganibe gu gwe’
amin.
All souls shall surely test death
(save journey fatima)
God, we are glad with your test
we can’t cry and we can’t regret it
we can’t laugh and we can’t wag
we will only shed tears
but not to have the taste again
patience do not give birth to death
it only give birth to life
fatima, save journey
fatima, till we come
may God make that new home
your final abode.
Ameen!
As against his initial interest to write in English, his new fond idea to promote Nupe Language made him discard the idea and focus on Nupe.
Thereafter, he started writing a Nupe Mathematics book due to his encounter with a brother in 2012. He wanted to write a Mathematics book with the numerals invented by the brother, Isyaku Bala Ibrahim who had been writing in Nupe language before Manarakis but due to a disagreement on a certain aspect of the numerals with the inventor, he decided to go ahead on his own. He wrote the book for six years. As he wrote the book, he taught it on Facebook so that his followers will get used to his own invented numerals. Gradually, people became so passionate about his zealousness on Nupe.
He established a Foundation and named it after Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar called Eduko Nupe Language Foundation, Minna & Bida where he felt it could be a platform to propagate Nupe Language. Subsequently, he heeded to BM Dzukogi’s advice to start a Nupe language class at JAFLA instead of Facebook. Herein lies the beginning of ILLEC.
On 19th November, 2016 Nupe Language class began in full force. What was supposed to be a class of few pilot student of his siblings became an attraction for many. His motif was to get at least few people to join his four younger sisters to learn the Nupe Language but it got populated by residents of Kpakungu area of Minna.
Professor Sammuel Tswanya Kolo, the then Deputy Vice Chancellor of IBB University, Lapai was the first Professor to believe in Manarakis’ dream by donating some money to buy teaching materials.
On 1st October, 2017, the tireless Manarakis met Dr. (Mrs) Aishatu Ndayeko, the Bida Princess and picked interest in Manarakis’ artistic endeavours. Her advice brought about the starting of a Nupe Learning Centre in Bida. She funded his transport fare monthly from Minna.
In the same 2017, Manarakis came up with the idea of Online Nupe Newspaper. He published just one edition and couldn’t continue due to lack of funds. He later reinstated the idea of the Newspaper.
In January 2018, Manarakis was invited by the former Chief Press Secretary, Alh. Mahmud Abdullahi to serve as a Nupe Radio Broadcaster and Presenter. This further escalated Manarakis’ reach as a community influencer among the Nupe people.
In 2019, Manarakis attended an International Conference of Indigenous Languages at Jos. His attendance was fully sponsored by Mr. Solomon Dakukum who is his Facebook follower. That conference in Plateau State, formalises the establishment of the Indigenous Languages Learning Centre (ILLEC), Minna. Today, Nupe is being taught at the Niger State College of Education in Minna courtesy Manarakis.
NUPE BOOKS WRITTEN FROM ILLEC.
NUPE BOOKS WRITTEN BY MANARAKIS
1. Nupe Short Story: (Egun a da eti egunegunts
2. Nupe Names, (unpublished),
3. Nupe Names of Allah, (Draft),
4. Nupe Pocket Guide (Draft),
5. Ndagi be Nnagi, (English and Nupe),
6. Cincin min be Labi (Unpublished)
7. Sokpa a kpa (Unpublished)
8. Nupe Poem (Shidugi),
9. Nupe Science & Tech (Unpublished)
10. Nupe History, (Unpublished)
11. Nupe Quotation (Unpublished)
12. Nupe Day,
13. Nupe Grammar I,
14. Nupe Grammar II
15. Nupe Grammar & Vocabulary (Unpublished),
16. Nupe Dictionary (Unpublished),
17. Nupe Mathematics
NUPE ANTHOLOGIES EDITED BY MANARAKIS
18. Ecingi Nupe Tashiru,
19. Soko Deke,
20. Etsu Nupe; Yahaya Abubakar
21. Yogo I & II
22. Kangari,
23. Bicicin lalo Nupe
24. Sarkin Arewan Nupe (Unpublished)
25. Nupe Festival (Unpublished)
26. Ganasa Nupe (Unpublished),
27. SAN-P I & II (e-book)
28. Nuwoye Nupe I
29. Professor Auna I
30. BM Dzukogi – Potholed in my Dreams (Translation)
31. Abubakar Gimba’s Nupe Lecture (Translation)
NUPE BOOKS WRITTEN BY ILLEC STUDENTS
32. Bicin Kpako – Common Mistakes (Aisha Hussaina Idris Manarakis),
33. Ewo na Soko kin na (Aisha Hussaina Idris Manarakis),
34. Ekpyada – Humbleness (Hajiya Bilkisu Musa),
35. Tijjani Ibrahim Edotsu (Nupe Ta – Nupe Grammar),
36. Zainab Abdullahi Bida (Nupe Mathematics e-book),
37. Zainab Abdullahi Bida (Eza e Kpetso Soko Nikin nyi a)
38. Hajiya Ramatu Umar Bida (Nupe Science and Technology e-book),
39. Malama Fatima Haruna Bida, (Nupe Khamsuna Hadith),
39. Hussaini Mohammed (Tribute for Yogo e-book),
40. Hussaini Mohammed (Nupe Advanced Grammar),
41. Hajiya Habiba Musa Ejiko (Eganmanganzhi),
42. Hajiya Bilkisu Musa Bida (Bakudu go Nawu wo),
NUPE COE LECTURE NOTE
43. Nupe Morphology (Pre-NCE)
44. Nupe Oral & Written Literature (NCE I)
45. Nupe Orthography (NCE I)
46. Nupe Phonology (NCE II)
47. Nupe Prose (NCE II)
NUPE LITERATURE PRIZE NLP
In November 2019, Manarakis introduced Nupe Literature Prize (NLP). The annual competition was first won by Aisha Hussaina Idris Manarakis1, with the book titled “Ewo na Soko Kin Na”. A year later, which was 2020, we didn’t have the competition due to some financial constraint. In 2021, we had the second NLP edition which was won by Hajiya Bilkisu Musa Bida with the book titled “Enyabagi Nupe.” In 2022, we had the third NLP won by Zainab Abdullahi Bida with the title “Eza e Yakpe Soko nikin nyi a.”
HAISFEST AS A CATALYST FOR NUPE LANGUAGE WRITING AT ILLEC
ILLEC members do participate in HAISFEST prizes under the Nigeria Prize for Indigenous languages in creative writing and science books. Below are ILLEC winners since inception:
- Adamu Idris Manarakis won Nupe Mathematics; 2021
- Hajiya Bilkisu Musa Bida won Nupe Mathematics; 2022
- Zaina Abdullahi Bida won Nupe Novel; 2023
- Hajiya Rahmatu Umar Bida won Nupe Science and Technology; 2023
Manarakis had a Masterclass experience in Foundational Indigenous Education where he was honoured with a special recognition of Nupe Language on 25th October, 2020.
In 2021, Manarakis took a pro-bono service with Niger State College of Education, Minna, where he teaches Nupe Language from Pre-NCE who are now in 200 Level. He is restless about the Inclusion of Nupe Language to Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions curriculum across Nigeria.
In 2021, Manarakis sold an idea to the then Commandant of Police Secondary School (PSS), Minna; Mr. MK Haruna to include the teaching of Nupe Language in the School’s activities. He bought the idea and accepted the teaching of Nupe Language to complement the insistence of Federal Government on the teaching of Indigenous Languages. Till date Nupe Language is being taught in PSS Minna, with ILLEC Nupe Instructors handling it; Hussaini Mohammed Wushishi, Fatima Muhammad Agaye, Fatima Muhammad Bida, and Bala Mohammed Malagi. In fact the Commandant also encouraged some of his Non-academic Staff who had SSCE to join in learning Nupe Language. Hauwa Tanimu and Hadiza Muhammad who picked the challenge are now students of Nupe Language in College of Education, Minna as pioneer students in 200L.
Other Photos From ILLEC
