KID'S ZONE: CHANGING KANO'S LITERARY LANSCAPE

(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.

TO MY UNBORN CHILDREN

('Blueprint' Newspaper of May 26th, 2015 published the underneath piece and 'Leadership Hausa' of Oct 30th, 2015 published its Hausa translation tagged: 'Sako Ga 'Yaya Na Da Ban Haifa Ba', it can be found on: http://hausa.leadership.ng/node/reporter/daga-bello-sagir-imam')

As a typical African, I'm obsessed by love for you, to such an extent that as single as I'm, I imagine playing or going to zoo with you. 'Abban Abdul' (the father of Abdul) a contracted form of Abdullahi is the name some of my friends now fondly call me, while others prefer 'Abban Sumy' (the father of Sumy) a contracted form of Sumayya. This made me very concerned about your future especially at the eve of the recently concluded 2015 Nigerian General Elections, going by the dreadful prediction of the American Central Investigation Agency (CIA) in 2006 that, Nigeria will disintegrate in the year 2015. We thank God for now that the CIA's prediction proved 'abortive' and in contrast, the much expected 'new' Nigeria is birthed.

Dear Abdul and Sumy, my congratulations to you for the prospect of your coming to the world in a 'new' Nigeria, to be steered by the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) and assisted by Govenor- Elect, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (AUG) of Kano State. The chief factor that brought about the new Nigeria is aptly prophesised many decades ago in a famous quotation by the former premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he says: 'A day will come when Nigerian masses from the North and South, Christians, Muslims and animists will merge as a force for progress and unity to kick against rigging, corruption and tyranny.'

God willing, Abdul and Sumy as well as the posterity, won't witness the reality about the dreaded Boko Haram. The 1960s Biafran civil war and Kano's 1980s Maitastine uprising were learnt by me in my history subjects. Similarly, you shall not witness artificial poverty, horrible corruption, comatose health system, uncontrollable unemployment and un-punishable exam malpractice. Others are rampant traffic accident, epileptic electricity, powerful election rigging, incessant child abuse, shocking kidnapping and what not. In other words, promising siblings like you, won't breathe 'wicked' or 'deceptive' fresh air but an 'actual' fresh one. You will only learn of all these national atrocities in your Social Studies and History subjects at schools, by your teachers, whom may probably be part of the more than 200 'about to be' rescued Chibok girls.

More also, I pray you will only read in books and perhaps watch in documentaries the 'life and death' of politics that characterized the polity in the country now. In the 'new Nigeria' in question, there will be a truly democratic politics as played in the West or even better. What comes to my mind at this juncture is the rare gesture of the outgoing President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) of conceding defeat to the incoming President even prior to the official announcement of the result of the polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boss, Prof. Muhammad Attahiru Jega. This earned him praises from the President of the US, Barack Obama and other presidents. The concession even won him awards from some international groups. GEJ's gesture served as a example to other losers in Nigeria, ranging from the incumbent State Governors to the State House of Assembly members, not forgetting even the non-incumbents, who unhesitatingly followed suit.    

Your father prays you won't know the ethnic and religious jingoism which is mostly inflamed by some crooks and good-for-nothing politicians as a 'divide and rule' tactics, in the new Nigeria.

Injustice would have been done to this article without congratulating Baba Buhari for his success in the concluded presidential polls. Your relentless 12-year Nigerian presidential bid brought far to our home: It is needless to us, as prospective fathers, when we want to encourage our children to be determined, to draw example(s) from Lincoln of America, Ghandi of India or even Mandela of South Africa. Lincoln, Ghandi and Mandela put together is here with us.

Oh Allah! You are the (Kumfa Yakun) and the All-Poweful, help us, the masses to understand that 'Rome was not built in a day'. Baba Buhari is neither magician nor God-sent angel that can transform Nigeria from the mess she was plunged into by the previous governments in only five or six years but rather gradually. Oh the 'Kumfayakun', make the posterity positively differ from the messy present!

(C) Bello Sagir Imam 2015.

YOUTH AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA By Abdulrasheed Hussaini

Your blog: Learning Never Ends, this time, exhibits a guest blogger in the person of Abdulraseed Hussain with his piece: 'Youth And Politics In Nigeria'. This is part of the blogger's commitment to serve you better. Abdulraseed Hussain is a brilliant student of Mass Communication at Kano Poly, who is just in his early twenties. Enjoy:

Meaningful democracy requires useful participation of youth. Young people have much to offer to societies. Youths in Nigeria constitute more than 66 percent of the nation's population and over 70 percent of youth are unemployed. There is no doubt that they are the strongest segment of any given society and every society that sidelines them in the political affairs of its state is liable to vanish. They have been the central part of activities in the run up to all elections in the past and present.

They can play a positive role in electoral process rather than engaging in political violence. However, the role that they have been playing in the past elections has usually been negative. Politicians have been using them to intimidate their political rivals.

As the 2015 Governotorial Election is approaching it's an incomplete story to talk about elections without mentioning youths who constitute 66 percent of Nigeria population. Unfortunately, in Nigeria the youths are actually sidelined in the affairs of the state in particular and therefore the lack of political participation of the youths is one of the problems in Nigerian politics today. People like Maitama Sule, Aminu Kano, Obafemi Awolowo, Samuel Akintola, etc. started their political life at youthful ages. Youth are the target audience of any politician or political party. In all advanced democracies all political parties establis institutions to train the younger ones as future politicians. But why not in Nigeria? The question here is can the youths of today possess the wisdom and determination as shown by our founding fathers? In order to meet these challenges, whether they can accommodate the analysis of their time. It is the duty of the youths to determine who should rule or they would continue to be misused and dumped.

The most important part to tell  youths is that they should not allow themselves to be misguide by politicians as thugs and electoral manipulators. I hope youths have learn a lot of lessons from the past and would refocus for a better future.

(C) Abdulrasheed Hussaini 2015.

BUHARI AND JONATHAN: FRIENDS

On one fateful Monday night, I was unsettled and awake up to 1:30am, pondering on the possible outcome of the overheated polity in our country and about who's who on the D-Day: the fast-approaching Nigerian 28/03 and 12/04/­2015 General Elections, which is even more overheated between the supporters of the two arch presidential candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that of the leading opposition All Progressive Congress (APC); Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonthan (GEJ), the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (GMB), the former Nigeria military head of state respectively. To calm myself and contribute in cooling the growing tension in the country, I thought of composing and sharing a poem with my fellow countrymen. I composed one but scrapped it for it didn't appeal to me. Before I started another one, I received a WhatsApp video clip which I instantly downloaded and watched. I was impressed to the core by it and, thereafter, it became my best clip ever, which I watched and sent to my friends quite often, because of its peace-promoting-content. The video diverted me from communicating to Nigerians poetically to prosaically and thus, I came up with this piece. The clip showcased Buhari and Jonathan in a warm embrace, which signifies that they are friends and peace-lovers.

The video was shot during an agreement that was named 'Abuja Accord', jointly organized by the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs which was signed by Jonathan, Buhari and twelve other different political parties and their chairmen, at Abuja. It committed the signatories and their political parties to peaceful electioneering cam­paigns, peaceful polls and good handling of the result of the 2015 elections to ensure that there is no eruption of violence. The Accord was initiated, moderated and facilitated by men and women of goodwill who were uncomfortable with what the overheated campaign was leading the country into. It was witnessed by the former United Nation (UN) Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan of Ghana and the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria, among others who flanked Jonathan and Buhari while they were signing the Accord that made them bound by non-violence.

Buhari dressed in brown flying gown (babbar riga) with white eye glasses on his face and a Zanna cap on his head, while Jonathan was in his usual brown jacket and a hat. The video began by showing each of them wearing a hearty smile and was enthusiastic to be the first to embrace, greet and shake hands with the other. Wow! Since whatever Jonathanians and Buharians do is presumably in favour of their heroes, let them behave in accordance with 'like-father-like-son' manner. In other words, let them rush to be the first to behave peace-lovingly as epitomized by their heroes.

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

Below is a transcript of the historic greetings that transpired between GEJ and GMB while they were shaking hands which they maintained up to the time they ended the greetings:

GMG: 'Good morning Mr president'.

GEJ: 'Good morning sir'

GMB: 'How are you Mr president?'

GEJ: 'How are you sir?'

GMB: 'How is the campaign Mr president?'

GEJ: 'How is the campaign sir?'

The duo broke into a friendly laughter as they were releasing the hands of each other and embracing. The audience were watching with enthusiasm. "That's wonderful," remarked Mr. Kofi Annan.

Analytically, the greetings were superb: Despite that it was not in the expected way of greeting between two people, where there is a greeter and responder, this one only had two greeters without a responder, and that is even what made the greetings superb. The absence of a responder happened as a result of the fact that each of the two friends anticipated the other to respond which is a good lesson to emulate by their supporters and the general Nigerians. The lesson, in a lay man's term, is that, my compatriots should avoid doing anything that will erupt violence or chaos of all forms, and rather, should do that which will perpetuate peace before, during and after the two-day-parralell elections, as it was exemplified by the two leaders.

I'm neither a political scientist nor a politician who has sympathy for a certain political party or candidate, but only a well meaning Nigerian. Although, In 2007, I was elected with a landslide victory as a publicity secretary of a certain political party in Tudun Murtala ward of Nassarawa Local Government, Kano State, which made me the youngest Elected Official in all the wards and the Local Government excos, that was not enough to call myself a politician. At that time, I learned a huge first-hand political experience which is still not irrelevant in the contemporary Nigerian politics. Part of it is "supporters' overzealousness" which arguably in my eyes, is the chief factor that leads to the heating and/or overheating of the polity. Most of the supporters, particularly the party's marshals are, truth be told, overzealous. They are so either unconsciously or consciously. Unconsciously because they are, I'm afraid to say, Africans, who are always 'more catholic than the pope'. Politics/democracy is the invention of the Greece, imported into Africa by the colonial masters who left it behind even after we gained independence from them. Instead of us to do it as the inventors do, i.e without overzealousness, we go beyond the limit. Consciously because the overzealous supporters are idle, and being idle implies that Devils are at work, using the over zealousness to make their crooked ends meet.

I was told an amazing but true life story of two next door neighbors. One was popularly known as "Maimalafa" meaning "A wearer of hat" not because he was even ever seen wore a hat but because it was a name referred to GEJ for being a habitual wearer of hat (malafa), while the other as "General", not because he was a soldier, but because it was a name used to refer to GMB for being a retired army General. They were referred to "Maimalafa" and "General" respectively only because the former was a die-hard supporter of Jonathan while the latter a die-hard supporter of Buhari. The house of each was fully painted with PDP's logo and GEJ's portrait and APC's logo and GMB's portrait respectively. What was then more amazing? They ate their three square meals from the same bowls and the children of each slept at any of the two houses they independently desired. Wow! Each of these two households deserved to be crowned a "National Honor" or "Peace Ambassador" or both as token for their rare mutual understanding, tolerance and compromise in the spirit of "national peace" and "one Nigeria"

There are some politicians in Nigeria who always closely monitor the support they enjoy from their supporters with a view to making sure that it doesn't go in excess. Such politicians even warn and punish their erring supporters. Despite their moderate politics, they became popular and win elections at different cadres. In such politics without bitterness, as preached in the actions and words of GEJ and GMB, no drop of blood is worth shedding, in other words, no life, even that of a fly is worth loosing because of any politician, Buhari and Jonathan inclusive. Yes including them! They can be excluded only if they are not human beings or if they are God-sents. If life is worth sacrificing for any politician in this country, believe me you, the first in the list of the sacrificial lambs should be his wives and children. Life is 'sacred' and 'invaluable' to such an extent that the Holy Qur'an says: Whoever saves one life is like he saves the life of the entire humanity, and whoever kills one life is like he kills the life of the entire humanity. No religion/culture or even common sense on earth that disagrees with the sanctity of life. If for instance Mr. A is the victim of Mr. B now, and Mr. C is happy about that, who knows the next victim? it could be Mr. B or Mr. C or their loved ones around or faraway from them.

Way back in my primary school time, I can vividly recall a dramatic scenario between my elder sister and a fowl she was struggling to slaughter. At that moment, I along with my peers were at the peak of enjoying football game behind our family house. The play was interrupted by a wild scream of ladies from inside the house, on hearing that, we all left the football and rushed into the house to see what was amiss, suspecting the scream to be as a result of a child falling into a well, fire out break or the regular spirit seizure of jin that women suffered in those days. On our arrival at the scene, we were shocked with pity by differently witnessing something else: it was a half slaughtered fowl with blood gushing out from its throat, which was trying to run but its legs could not support it. My elder sister along with her friends just stopped screaming on seeing us and had started crying. My sister was standing and shivering with fear with the blood stained knife still in her hands. Around her were a bevy of her confused friends. No sooner we understood this than we all joined them in the cry which created a cocoponous noise at the scene. Our father was not in the house, and nor any other grown-up member of the family. Before you could say "Jack Robbinson" our neighbors started trooping in to see what was wrong. The first man that came snatched the knife from its holder and slaughtered the bird in the appropriate manner. And the rest of the people pacified us, as a result we all stopped crying and wiped our tears. What this writer is saying essentially is that, despite the devine/universal permissibleness of slaughtering a fowl and the prospect of enjoying it when it is ready, there are some classes of human beings/Nigerians like children and young girls who are very shocked by this lawful slaughtering. If this narration is anything to go by, then the life of a single human being/Nigerian is even 'beyond' sacred! Is there any point in creating violence in the course of campaign or the like, especially if that may lead to loosing the sacred life?

Conclusively, let us keep our voters' cards safely. Vote wisely and say NO to election violence. The eloquent Hausas say: "abinda zaman lafiya bai bayar ba, rashin sa ma ba zai bayar ba". Meaning: "What peace failed to grant, violence can not grant it too". Nigeria, "forward ever, backward never". May Peace reign all the way before, during and after the elections. I strongly commend the effort of Jonathan and Buhari for signing the Accord, with the hope that their fans and all other Nigerians will emulate the surface and the deeper lessons enshrined there in, and also that it will be the panacea to the Nigerian political violence. "Nigeria: one nation, one people"!

(C) Bello Sagir Imam 2015.

INTERVIEW: CHALLENGES ARE WHAT REFINED ME INTO WHO I AM TODAY- BADAMASI ALIYU BIDA

Badamasi Aliyu Bida is a millionaire and an award winning writer, in this maiden interview of LEARNING NEVER ENDS, he spoke with Bello Sagir Imam about his profile, sweet taste of challenges, his plans to travel to Japan and UK before the end of this year and others.

LNE: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Bida: Yes, my name is Badamasi Aliyu Abdullahi but in the world of social media, I am known as Badamasi Aliyu Bida and as you already know in the literary circle, my pen name is 'Maximum Bodmas' and my nickname is 'The Merchant of Words'.

I was born in 1983 at Gwagwarwa Brigade Nassarawa local government. I did my primary education at Gwagwarwa Special Primary School. I did my secondary school education at Government Secondary Commercial School, Airport Road Kano. In 2003, I attended CAS Kano where I did my IJMB progrmmme. In 2007, I was admitted to Bayero University Kano where I studied Bsc. Economics.

I worked with an importation company in Kano for one year and a management consultancy firm for three years. Now am working for myself

LNE: What are you passionate about?

Bida: Well! Actually I am passionate about so many things. I have subscribed to the concept of Portfolio of Passions. I believe that one can pursue as many passions as he likes because life is meant to be interesting not boring. And we all know that monotony is boring while variety is the spice of life.

Personally, I have a very strong passion for continuous personal improvement and lifelong learning. This is what midwifed the birth of other passions in my life. I am passionate about entrepreneurship, Youth Empowerment, Information and Communication Technology, Literature and Advocacy to name but a few.

LNE: How did you start writing and what motivated you?

Bida: I started writing after I finished IJMB in 2005. Before we finished writing IJMB exams, I promised myself that I will not slow down at the rate at which I was reading. Fortunately, no sooner have we concluded our exams than I religiously started devouring novels by authors like James Hardley Chase, Sydney Sheldon, John Grisham Irving Wallace and many more.

Along the way I have a friend, a wide reader of course whom I used to discuss and digest the books I read and who also introduced me to many influential authors. This very good friend of mine is the one who inspired me to start writing a review of every book I read.

Another thing that further increase my writing skills and culture was Kabiru Musa Jammaje's English Club. I was among the first set of the club in 2007. KB and Mallam Abba Abubakar Hausawa have really influenced me to start writing.

LNE: What type of writing do you like and engage in?

Bida: Wow! BSI, answering this question seems like a Tall order to me. Actually, I seem to dabble in both the valleys of fiction and nonfiction writing. To be candid, I love nonfiction books more than any other genre. The reason is because I love learning new things and accumulating chunk of knowledge and I get that in the nonfiction. I read fiction because that's where I enrich my language stamina.

When it comes to writing, I am more of a nonfiction writer than a fiction writer but my audience will testify this very soon.

LNE: How many poems have you composed?

Bida: Well I can't be exact as you would expect but as I am speaking to you, I know that I have composed more than two hundred and thirty poems. Some of them I presented in Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) kano, Association of Fiction and Nonfiction Writers (AFINOW), Islamic Forum for Creative Writing and Enlightenment (IFCWE) fora and I have posted a lot in many online literary platforms.

LNE: Do you consider yourself as a writer?

Bida: Yes I am a writer. I consider myself a writer because everyone who aspire to be a writer of repute must first believe in himself and his creative, intellectual and imaginative abilities which are the indispensable prerequisites of the writing profession

LNE: Are you planning to publish a collection of your works?

Bida: Yes Insha Allah I am preparing for my debut in the next three months. I have a book that I finished and was edited by Kabiru Musa Jammaje and foreword by Mal. Muhammad former H.O.D languages at CAS Kano. The title of the book is Nuggets for Aspiring Writers. The one I'm currently working on is the one I want to publish first. Then I will publish a collection of my poems hopefully before the end of the year.

LNE: Have you ever received any award in writing? When? Where? And by whom?

Bida: Yes I am an award winning writer. In 2014, I was nominated to participate in a leadership essay writing competition by the executive members of Junior Chamber International Kano Chapter.

The competition is a requirement for a member of the organization to attend the Junior Chamber International Leadership Academy. The Academy is where young leaders are trained, prepared and equipped for leadership positions in their various communities.

As it turned out, twenty of us from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria were nominated to participate in the competition. When the result came out, I won the second position in the essay writing competition. Afterwards, we were sponsored by JCI Nigeria Senate Association to attend the association's Leadership Academy.

It was on the graduation day at Nicon Hotel in Lagos State that those who got the first, second and third position in the essay writing competition were awarded by the association.

LNE: What are your most memorable achievements?

Bida: I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I remember that I am a co-founder of Islamic Forum for Creative Writing and Enlightenment (IFCWE ).

Well I have achieved a number of my goals but some of my remarkable achievements recently are: I was appointed as the 2014 Junior Chamber International Conference Director Area D. The conference which many people in the other parts of the country thought would not be successful due to the security challenges in Kano turned out to be one of the successful. Also under my leadership, our area conference was the only one that met all the criteria set by JCI for hosting conferences.
This is an achievement that I would not forget.

Again because of my performance, the members of JCI Kano Chapter elected me in the annual convention in November last year as the 2015 JCI Kano Chapter President.

I am now the chapter President of this giant youth leadership organization with membership in more than two hundred countries in the world and with more than two hundred young, vibrant and active members. This organization is the only nongovernmental organization with a permanent seat in the United Nation. This really is a memorable achievement in my life.

Also I am a presidential award winner of entrepreneurship in Youth With Enterprise and Innovation in Nigeria, Youwin Programme.

Under this programme, I was opportuned to won some million of naira which I now judiciously used to start my company.

LNE: What challenge(s) have you confronted in the process of achieving your goals and objectives?

Bida: I have overcome so many challenges in my effort to realize my dreams. But like what the famous German philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche said, "Whatever doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t change you". The challenges are what refined me into what and who I am today.

As a writer, I have been wanting to start publishing my works, but I find myself in an environment where writing and writers are not getting the right push. I have attended many literary symposiums and conferences and have seen how young aspiring writers are supported morally, financially and strategically.

I don't want to mention names but I know many young writers in other states who have been successful because their immediate environment provided them with the right support they needed to kick start their writing career. The surprising thing is that we have here in Kano young writers with greater potential than those who are now known in the Nigerian writing community.

Also I have faced funding challenges to start my own business. I have struggled to save money to attend courses, trainings and seminars both within and outside the state. Sometimes I used to miss useful training events just because I didn't have money for travel and accommodation.

But all these are now history. Alhamdulillah! Like now I have set aside all it need to attend JCI Africa and Middle East Conference which will be hosted in Ghana in May. Additionally, I'm planning to attend JCI world Congress in Kanazawa, Japan in November this year.

LNE: What is your favourite success quote?

Bida:My favourite success quote is, 'The strangest secret is that you become what you think about most of the time'. Earl Nightingale.

LNE:What is your major driving force? And what keeps you moving in the direction of your goals?

What keeps me moving is the fact that we are all in a race. Every purpose driven person is out there to be somebody, to achieve something and to make impact. When I think about this and I remember that you can be, do and have whatever you set your mind to, provided you set clear goals and follow through with disciplined habit of execution.
This is what keeps me in the direction of my goals.

LNE: What are your future plans?

Bida: Hmm! I have big plans. I am a believer of possibilities and one of my mottos is, 'Go big or go home'. I want to first build my company into a world class ICT firm.

I also want to set up many start up businesses because I want to be a serial entrepreneur. Actually, I have many plans like going to UK to further my education and of joining the academic circle.

LNE: Who is your mentor?

Bida: I have a number of mentors in my life. My number one mentor is prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I have many people that influence my life like Brian Tracy, Zig Zigler, Warren Buffet, Robert Kiyosaki, Jim Rhon, Sydney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, Brian Halligan and others.

These people have shaped my entire being and learned a great deal from them.

LNE: What is the name of your company, its address and what are your services?

Bida: The name of my company is Digital Marketing Networks, located at Sky Memorial Complex, Suite 166 opposite Unity Bank Zaria Road Kano, and our hotline is: +2348060663114. We are into Website Design, Software Development, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Graphics and Business Development Services.

LNE: Do you have any word of advice to give to other youths like you out there who want to achieve their lifetime dreams?

Bida: Yes what I want to tell youths is that they should be goal oriented, purpose driven and they need to believe in themselves. If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you and that is all that you need to succeed.

Also our youths need to know that this is 21 Century. You must develop learning orientation if you really want your boat to float in this day and age.

LNE: Prior to this interview, did you know about 'Learning Never Ends'? If yes when? And how?

Bida: I first learned about this blog during a presentation at ANA monthly Creative Writer's Forum last month at American Corner of Murtala Muhammad Library Kano State. It was after the presentation when someone mentioned that you run a blog on www.bellosagirimam.blogspot.com. I collected the address and saw the good work you are doing.

LNE: What impression did you have about the blog before and after giving it a visit and what message do you have to the blogger?

Bida: In the first place I know that it's going to be a blog that's worth my time because I know who Bello Sagir Imam is. So when I visited the blog, I saw what I have already expected.

My message to the blogger is that my company will help him to adapt the blogging tricks that are the vogue in the blogsphere. This I will do him for free.

LNE: Can you say one or two things to our audience before we wrap up the interview?

Bida: What I will say is that I wish everyone who check out this blog on a regular basis all the best.

Let's fill the space. Scott Jinsberg said, 'The world cannot resist a man on a mission'. Don't be afraid to set a big goal because you can only go as far as you push.

Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. Thank you also for promising to help this blog.

AN OCEAN OF THANKS: MY ONE AND ONLY PAMPHLET

(One of the poems here: 'Ramadan Soldiers' was publised in the defunct 'Weekend Triumph' newspaper of Sep 8, 2012)

Three years ago, I, along with other two poets were featured as guests at the Creative Writers' Forum under the auspices of the Association of Fiction and Non-Fiction Writers (AFINOW), at the Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano, New Site hall. During the session, I presented my one and only pamphlet of poetry, edited by Dr Isma'il Bala of Bayero University Kano, which I now decided to share with you here as it originally is, in other words, the poems in the pamphlet remain unchanged as they were during the presentation with no editing afterwards.

When I had come onstage on that very day, I was greatly motivated by the deafening applause of the mammoth audience welcoming my humble self on board. As the noise subsided, I instantly set the ball rolling, with the audience closely following me by reading the copies in their hands. One thing I still vividly recall was the snatching of the copy I read from my hand immediately I went offstage, by one of my audience who was a smartly dressed and bushy-haired young guy. He didn't get a copy, perhaps due to his late show up. The snatcher, after he succeeded in hiding the pamphlet in his briefcase, apologized for the tension he subjected me to by his violent weird behaviour, he said in a remorseful tone, 'I didn't mean to hurt you Mr. Poet, I couldn't get a copy, and I must go home with one, I feared that if I had demanded the copy from you, in the expected way, you might have given me an excuse, or considering my seriousness to grab a copy, suggest that I should photocopy from someone which to be candid, I can't afford to do, sorry Mr. Bello Sagir Imam...' I couldn't help but to broadly smile and said to the guy: 'Worry not dear, cos no harm done'. What the chap didn't know is that, from the little experience I have as a presenter, I learn that once one's presentation interests the audience, one can hardly retire with his copy, without someone from the audience demands it, for this reason, I always go onstage bearing in mind that, I would readily give my copy to any demander if I'm done with the presentation.

When I completed my reading, and the turn for input from the audience was declared by the chairman of the occasion, Mal. Ibrahim Shu'aibu Tukuntawa, I was corrected, critisized, questioned and equally appreciated by the responsive and enthusiastic audience. And as I was given the chance to react to all the comments, I reacted accordingly.

Below are the poems:

AN OCEAN OF THANKS
(For my mother)

The speaker cherishes no one like her
On her either sides are paradise and hellfire
The last of the Prophets she succeeds
Hundreds Dala in weight her love is to the composer
Damo the whole world knows she is
Manage with the author she did in months
Indeed! The pride and joy of the writer
Into pieces, with the sharpest knife the writer cuts her womb
Ayyururi!!! All and sundry chanted atop their voices
Pious with many fruits she is
Capital offense must it be to deny her a stanza
To compensate her with all Bill Gates is meager
Must to the poet is A to Z Yes, Yes and Yes
"Fatana gareka mace ta gari Muhamman" she sings
The cry of the stanzaman Junior I pray she hears
Firdause God willing is her eternal abode
An ocean of thanks to the supreme she.

THE FUNNIEST JOKE
(For my father)

Lawyer to your polygamy you are
In your family, excellence you dream
For their spoon, syringe, thread and pen you are a bee
Dancing on paper my pen does for your smiles
To many brainy brains your blackboard gives birth
Certainly, laureate of two Nobel Prizes you are
The idea to pay back must be the funniest joke!
Mistaking to be daring to you never I will be
To your departed seeds I pray peace, peace and peace!
With bad company I must be wary of, you preach
Read and keep it up, until the sun rises from the west, you advise
Necessary for me, to prostrate to the lord for giving me you
Ranka ya dade, my enormous praise to you
The cry of the stanza man junior I pray you hear
Rayyan God willing is your eternal abode

RAMADAN SOLDIERS
(Fo bachelors and spinsters)

On hearing the drums, they all run to the parade ground
Some carrying sticks, missiles and guns, while others empty handed
Captain sings song which the rank and file sing after him
He orders quick march which they comply briskly
The parading army shakes the earth with their heavy footsteps
Gwaro! Gwauro!! Gwaro!!!
On top of their voices they shout in unison to the beating of the drums
This Ramadan, from my 'shago' I over hear their noisy approach
So noisy, they can wake up the dead
I sneak and close the door which later becomes their base
They all come to attention waiting for the next order
The captain parades them away, assuming I am not around
Why do they attack only the bachelors sparing the spinsters?
Having gone away from their base
They all come to attention again and their commander murmurs something, they respond yes sir!
They about turn and check my door again
As they are about to throw missile and shoot in my room
The captain whispers "let us leave him now, later we take him by surprise"
Oh Allah! Allow me to pay my dowry soon, so next Ramadan they will remove me from their enemy list!

Thanks for reading!

All Rights Reserved
(C) Bello Sagir Imam 25th Nov. 2012.

MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA: FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? (1)

(This article tagged 'Muslims And Christians In Nigeria: Friends Forever' was published in 'Leadership' Newspaper on 4th March, 2015 and it was translated into Hausa and published in 'Aminiya', the Hausa version of 'Daily Trust' newspaper, on 25th Sep., 2015. It's tagged: 'Saqo Na Musamman Ga Musulmi Da Kiristan Najeriya',)

I was pretty pressured by my readers like Comrade Rabi’u Shamma and others that my delay to write was becoming unbearable. In response to their urging, I started brooding. Meanwhile, my attention was drawn to the Muslim / Christian relationship in the country, by my Christian bedridden friend who asked after me.

When this came to my knowledge, I rushed to his hospital where I found him in a critical condition. To my astonishment, he still called my name. I prayed for his quick recovery to which he murmured ‘amen!’, while clutching the Holy Bible on his chest. While I was busy looking at his wrinkled face in sympathy, he murmured to me that the muezzin was calling prayer and therefore I should go to mosque.

‘Pray for me in the mosque please!’ He managed to plead.

‘Ok, I will’.

‘Thanks’.

‘Don’t mention it, dear. I know as I am praying for you, you are here doing same with the Holy book on your chest'.

The sick person smiled and waved to me which I returned before closing the door behind me.

When I was coming out of the mosque, I met my friend Bilal. He expressed his joy for seeing me, and that, he had been trying to give me a buzz to arrange an appointment with me, but the Nigerian epileptic network was unhelpful. His reason was to come to my house, to tell me a full story of how a Christian brother found his bag containing an I Pad computer, Black Berry phone, two pocket sized Holly Qura’ans and N100, 000 notes, but returned it to him and even refused to collect a token. I was glad about that hence, asked that the two of us should just proceed to my house. Bilal welcomed the idea, but solicited that; I should first accompany him to pick up his wife Christie from church.

*** *** ***

On Friday evening, the eve of this year’s (2014) Eid-ul-Adha, in an ATM queue, a short queuerer who wanted to withdraw for the purchase of ram for sacrifice, had some troubles with the ATM and thus, the machine withheld his card.

‘ Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihirraji’un!’, (from Allah we are and unto Him we shall return!). Exclaimed the short man, and he continued.

‘Why...’

‘Complain not, my brother!’ interrupted a tall man wearing a cross chain around his neck.

The short man turned in anger, but when he saw the tall man’s face beaming a smile, he understood the situation and smiled back.

‘How much do you need for the ram?’

‘Thirty five thousand Naira or so’.

‘Ok, take the money’.

‘Thanks and how do I pay you back?’

‘You are welcome. If you don’t mind, take my phone number.’

*** *** ***

From my childhood experience, I can recall instances where my parents would pay school fees for the children of our Christians neighbours and during Eids, send me to take Eid food and meat to them, which they collected in excitement and even gave me a token. I can equally recall my father who would go to our Christian neighbours and seek advice which helped in solving many of our family travails.

I adhere to my religion Islam and do love and respect Jesus Christ (Peace Be Upon Him). I know some Christians who also love and respect Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). As Christian brothers and sisters come to my home state: Kano, in pursuit of livelihood or education etcetera, so also my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters go to Anambra for the above mentioned pursuits. We are, undeniably, birds of a feather!’ Why must not we flock together? Nigerians of whatever religion, region or ethnicity are, beyond any reasonable doubt, brothers and sisters. Therefore, we should be the keepers of one another!

During this Eid-ul-Adha, I gave Sallah meat and Barka da Sallah, as it is usual with me, to some Christian friends. What of you, do you, dear reader, do such during your Eid or Christmas celebrations? Let me guess the answer...it is ‘yes!’ A 'memorable phrase' from a one-time American president, the great Abraham Lincoln, has just struck me: 'with malice towards none, with charity for all'!

Based on the foregoing, I am calling, with ‘emphasis’, despite the fact that my voice is not loud, on all Nigerians, in the spirit of ‘one Nigeria’ and ‘humanity’, that we are destined to live together irrespective of our diversity. ‘Diversity’, they say, ‘is a blessing’.

Before drawing the curtain of the first segment of this peace promoting piece, I say to the global Muslims: Happy Eidil Mubarak! My compatriots: Happy 54th Independence Anniversary. ‘Nigeria: Good nation, good people!', 'Nigeria, the America of Africa!!' 'Najeriya kasarmu ta gado', meaning, Nigeria, our inherited country. God bless Nigeria!!!

Bello Sagir Imam is a Kano based writer, and can be reached via belsagim@gmail.com or face book with the user name: Bello Sagir Imam.

To be continued...

(C) Bello Sagir Imam 2014. All Rights Reserved.