The history of Minna, the capital of Niger State, would be incomplete without mentioning her literary eminence in Nigeria as one of its notable identities. Minna is a city described as the Northern region’s literary capital and a Mecca of Literature in Nigeria. This title came about during the Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) International Literary Colloquium (2011-2014). BM Dzukogi had earlier described the city as a Valley of Poets and Writers in his 2009 book, chronicling writers resident in the city. Minna is a hub of intellectual literary discourse for Nigerian writers. According to an October 25, 2012 report in The Nation Newspaper, “Minna, the state’s capital, has over the years been the birthplace or home of many Nigerian internationally-acclaimed writers. Two of those that readily come to mind are Cyprian Ekwensi and Ben Okri “.
Also, in the 1970s, the likes of Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Abubakar Gimba and Yahaya S. Dangana came to fore while in the 1990s, Ezekeil Fajenyo, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmed, Baba Akote, Godwin Bawa, Jerry Galadima, BM Dzukogi, Kamar Hamza, Khalil Ayuba Shaba, Usman Gwarjiko, Aminu S. Muhammad, Isyaku Bala Ibrahim, Almamun Mallam, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Hasiya Mohammed, etc followed.
In the last twenty years, Saddiq Dzukogi has led a group of new-generation writers of Minna to the national and international arena. Others are Halima Aliyu, Maryam Shuaib Bobi, Paul Liam, Olumide Ojo Emmanuel, Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu, Adamu Idris Manarakis, and many others who have followed this long literary tradition of the Minna writing community making waves in the Nigerian and international literary scene.
THE MINNA ENVIRONMENT
Minna is located within a valley surrounded by Paida hills, hilltops, rich vegetation and fertile soil. Minna is the capital city of Niger State, one of Nigeria’s thirty-six states. The city is officially over 122 years old. It has a total area of 8,098km square with a humidity of 38%. It is located on latitude 9.583555 and longitude 6.546316 with a GPS coordinate of 9° 35′ 0.7980″ N and 6° 32′ 46.7376″ E. Minna has a typical Middle Belt tropical savannah climate with two seasons: an arid, dusty, harmattan-dominated dry season from November to April and a humid, wet season dominated by monsoonal air masses from May to October. Temperatures are hot to sweltering year-round, except at the height of the wet season when air temperatures are very warm but with high humidity. Minna is connected to neighbouring cities by road, especially Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. 75% of Abuja’s land was taken out of Niger State. It is also connected by railroad to Kaduna, Zaria and Kano in the Northwest and Bida, Ilorin, Ibadan and Lagos in the Southwest of Nigeria.
The current metro area of Minna has about 954,606 inhabitants spread over popular areas such as Kwangila, Barikin Sale, Bosso, Dutsen Kura, Airport road, Tunga, Chanchaga, Kpakungu, Maitumbi. The primary inhabitants of Minna are the Gbagyis, then the Nupes. Other ethnic nationalities, such as the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Idoma, and Igala are also part of the ever-increasing demography of Minna. Minna enjoys cultural diversity with other ethnic nationalities honoured with chieftaincy titles as representatives of their people. Minna also enjoys diverse religious practices, with Islam and Christianity coexisting side-by-side. In some villages could be found traditional religions.
MINNA POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Minna is the administrative headquarters of Chanchaga Local Government with the Chairman as the head of the administrative council. Although Minna is the seat of power for the Government of Niger State, headed by a Governor, it is democratically under Chanchaga Local Government Council. The elected Chairman coordinates the affairs of the Council assisted by a Vice Chairman and various elected Councilors of its 11 wards, namely: Limawa “A”, Limawa “B”, Makera, Minna Central, Minna South, Nassarawa “A”, Nassarawa “B”, Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada North and Tudun Wada South.
Minna also falls under the Chanchaga Federal Constituency with a Federal House of Representatives, Abuja representative. Also, it is located within the Niger-East Senatorial District of Niger State with a Senator representing nine Local Governments in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Under the political structure of Nigeria, all 36 States of the country have three Senatorial District each. Niger State is divided into three Senatorial districts: Niger-East, Niger-South and Niger-North. Minna is in the Niger East.
MINNA TRADITIONAL INSTITUTION
Minna has an Emirate Council ruled by an Emir with his Council. Minna has had only two Emirs since existence: Alhaji Ahmadu Bahago and his son, Alhaji Umar Faruk Bahago, the current Emir. The Emir acts as the overseer of the traditional institution within the Minna Emirate.
Like the seat of the Niger State Government resides in Minna, the seat of Minna Emirate also resides in Minna. However, the Emirate transcends Chanchaga Local Government, extending to other Local Governments within the Niger-East Senatorial District or Zone “B”, as it is simply called. The other Local Governments within the Emirate are Bosso, Paikoro, Munya and Shiroro.
CULTURAL FACILITIES OF MINNA
Minna has a couple of world-class cultural facilities such as the UK Bello Art Theatre, the biggest professional art theatre in Northern Nigeria; Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Niger State Book Development Agency, private and public Art Galleries, Minna Archives, Minna Museum, public and tertiary institution libraries, Abubakar Iman State Library, National Library, Minna, etc.
UK Bello Art Theatre was commissioned in 1991 and has been the rallying point for cultural activities in Minna. The theatre has a four-dimensional stage and an extended beautiful landscape within its compound for other artistic activities. The theatre has hosted local and international theatrical events, conferences, festivals, photography and painting exhibitions, literary competitions, science and technology contests, and an arena for traditional wrestling and festivals.
Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre is another cultural facility within the Minna metropolis. The facility has a 3000-capacity hall and two mini halls for cultural activities. The facility has hosted national and international events such as the MBA International Literary Colloquium, The Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festival (HIASFEST), and a host of National conferences, a central convergent point for Niger State, etc. Within its vicinity is a 5-star hotel for national and international guests.
The Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF) is another comprehensive cultural facility along David Mark Road, Maitumbi, Minna. The HCAF is a mentoring centre for art, such as creative writing, painting, spoken word, leadership and citizenship training, song, cultural dance, photography, Innovation and ICT. The Foundation has a hall, a library, a residency for artists, and a painting arena. HCAF is the only of its kind and one of Nigeria’s first five contemporary art organisations; the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation administrates it with about 20 branches nationwide. The Foundation also organises the Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festival (HIASFEST), Africa’s largest, most comprehensive, and most rewarding teen arts festival. Members of the Foundation have published authors in recognised international journals and have been shortlisted or won notable national and international prizes. They have won national and international prizes.
