The Muktar Aliyu Art Residency (MAAR), Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, is pleased to announce the successful applicants for the second edition beginning from 1st November, 2024. They are; Victoria Ojo Ilemobayo from Lagos State and Judith L. Maikaho from Gombe State.
Ojo Victoria Ilemobayo is a Nigerian literary enthusiast whose works have appeared in Christian Century, Christian Courier, Ake Review, Typehouse, Thema, Sunlight Press, Eboquills, Non-Binary Review, A Coup of Owl, Firebrand, Mad Swirl, Flash Frog, Eco Punk, Mande, and other online literary platforms. She is a poet, smartphone photographer, video editor, and childcare provider. She majors in three genres: Poetry, Non-fiction, and Visual Arts. The themes of her works cut across beauty, love, family ties, Christian living, nature, and sickle cell disease. The goal of her writing is to express herself creatively, create magic, spread love, heal, and inspire people. She won the April-June Wakaso Poetry Prize 2024, WGT3 2023, the MUSPA Prize 2022, and the Lagos Hilltop Poetry Prize 2021. She volunteers with Lucky Jefferson, reads for Radon Journal, and is also a member and Executive as well as Game Master of the Hilltop Creative Art Foundation (Lagos). She enjoys reading, capturing moments, dancing, strolling, discussing poetry, traveling, and meeting new people. She tweets @ilemobayo-ojo.
Judith L. Maikaho is a writer, spoken word artist, TEDx speaker, teacher and radio broadcaster. She was selected for the inaugural Flame Tree Writers Project 2024, facilitated by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Chika Unigwe. She won the VC GSU award for prose at the 2023 Northeast Festival of Literature, Culture and Creativity. Her manuscript was a finalist in the 2023 Defenestrations poetry contest and the 2022 Nigerian NewsDirect Chapbook Awards. She was longlisted for the Hafsat Abdulwaheed Women Short Story Prize (2023) and the Bill Ward Prize for Emerging Writers (2022). She’s a SprinNG alumna, both Writing Fellowship and Advancement Fellowship. Her works have appeared in Parousia Magazine, The Tonic, Brittle Paper, Kalahari Review, Nantygreens, Nnoko Stories, and elsewhere. She lives in Gombe and Katsina, Nigeria.
The young artists are expected to be in Minna, the Niger State capital on 31st October, 2024 to begin the 21-day residency which starts on the 1st of November, 2024. Each resident will enjoy a daily allowance of N7,000 per day. Also, there is a reimbursement of N20,000 for coming to Minna, and another N20,000 for departure. There is a token of N3, 000 for airtime. The total package for each resident is N190, 000 cash. There could be gift items whenever such is provided by any enthusiast.
MAAR is at the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF) National Headquarters, along David Mark Road, Maitumbi, Minna, Niger State.
The primary focus of the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF) is on teen artists. Therefore, MAAR is designed not only for the artists-in-residence to complete their works but to also mentor teen artists during their stay. HCAF may require their voluntary services if their stay coincides with any of its programmes.
This edition is sponsored by TIMEOUT4AFRICA BASKETBALL AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION founded by Mr. Jonathan Kolo. The first edition was also sponsored by the organisation. Like HCAF, TIMEOUT4AFRICA has been responsible for discovering teenagers in Basketball and helping them to pursue their career and education abroad. Similarly, they produce talents for national engagements in Nigeria.
Congratulations to the artists on this historic engagement as the latest FELLOWS of MAAR, Minna, Nigeria.
Zainab Dzukogi
Residency Manager
muktaraliyuartresidency@gmail.com
Congratulations to you girls!!!! More wins and greater heights.
Well done, Ilemoba-joy, My Madam
Congratulations sis, More feather to your cap
Congratulations My prolific artist
Greater heights Victoria