(This report was published in 'National Review' magazine of January, 2016)
Saturday 4/7/2015 was the D-Day when parents/guardians, teachers, students and of course the general public gathered to celebrate KIDS' ZONE Awards put together by National Review Magazine in conjunction with Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Kano State Branch. It was the day slated for the celebration of young writers coming of age contributing Short Stories, Jokes, Commentaries, Riddles and so on to Kid's Zone, a youngsters' favourite column in National Review Magazine. The magazine, is Kano-based and monthly, with the logo 'Truth In Its Simplicity'. The august occasion, which was the first of its kind in Nigeria, was held at ANA Kano venue, American Corner of the Murtala Muhammad Library Kano. Distinguished guests of all walks of life, as well as other enthusiastic audience filled the venue to the brim.
The Master of the Ceremony, Bello Sagir Imam began by requesting the guests of honour to move from where they humbly sat to the high table, which they did.Some of the guests include Malam Adamu Nababa,Deputy Director Recruitment and Training, Kano State Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB) who delivered a keynote speech, former National Chairman of ANA, Dr. Wale Okediran and Comrade Umoru Ibrahim, Director at National Review Magazine, who both delivered goodwill messages. Faruk Ahmed, aka Uncle Farook, the columnist of Kid's Zone, delivered the columnist speech.
Zainab Ahmed Umar from Iqra Nursery And Primary School emerged the winner of the third position in jokes category with an entry entitled: 'The Five Caps', Fa'iza Salisu Umar from Federal Government College Minjibir, emerged a winner with second position in Youth Talk category with an entry entitled: 'The Monster Of Human Trafficking', while Khadija M. Hassan from Iqra’a Comprehensive College Sharada emerged a winner with first position with a Short Story entry entitled: 'The Danger Of Having A Boyfried'. Other winners numbering 14 received certificates and consolation prizes.
Afterwards, the winners were called upon to read excerpts of their winning entries which were appreciated by rounds of applause from the audiance. Each of them received a trophy, five copies of the magazine, 'After A Long Silence'(a poetry anthology written by the immediate past Secretary General of the Association, Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah), and a carton of biscuit from Beloxxi Biscuits. As the awardees were receiving their trophies and prizes, photograpers and cameramen and phone users covered the event by capturing the moving and non-moving pictures, with the audience breaking into rounds of applauses.
Before Almustapha Iliyasu Ami Dido, the Secretary General of the ANA kano spoke behind the microphone for Vote of Thanks, Khalid Imam, a strong member in the association made an offer to the schools present at the event for a Free Creative Writing Workshop for their students, a service which according to him, he offers to private schools on fees.
Before the departure of all and sundry, avalanche of group photographs were snapped.
(C) Bello Sagir Imam 2015.
