A few meters on the main road that runs from the district head’s palace to the historic sales point in Bagwai lie two of the most notable primary schools in the town: Tajweed Primary School (Islamiyya) on the right-side and Special Primary School (SPS) on the left. A few of the SPS’ classes sit closer to the road and have been demolished courtesy of the road expansion. But an old, narrow independent building that houses historic books, newspapers, and research projects still breathes freedom.
Inside this building, there is coolness in the air that one feels on one’s skin upon entering. There is peace that emblems one’s soul. Since 1999 the library has been active. Entrance is free. No registration is required – unless you are borrowing a book. Yet, only a few enjoy its tranquility because young people here – for whom the space is most useful – don’t care about it.
Recently, there is an evolution of young readers and writers in the town that would soon change the narrative. Sometime in the second quarter of 2024, Safwan Suhaib Ibrahim, a writer and second-year student at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University’s College of Health Sciences, teamed up with his friends – Umar Bello Galadima, Anas Mu’azu, Sajuda Mahmud Isah, and Aliyu Ibrahim – to give birth to the first-ever literary club in the region, Bagwai Literary Forum (BLF).
His words were, “We have been left behind, especially in art and literary activities. Young people here need to know the importance of literature and reading beyond what’s prescribed for them in the school curriculum.”
Two weeks of structural planning and members scouting see them holding their first gathering, featuring bright minds from secondary and tertiary institutions in the dusty yet accommodating library, which now looks neatly arranged courtesy of their union. “This is a very good initiative, absolutely one of a kind,” the librarian, Baba Sule, said. “I hope these young people stay true to their course in promoting reading culture among the rising generation.”
Bagwai’s Undocumented Literature
Northern Nigeria has seen a surging embrace for art among young people from poets to novelists; this has resulted in the development of literary clubs within and outside university environments and in the curation of multiple art and book festivals from all corners of the region. Experts and advocates say it’s a way of preserving history, which in turn would shape society for good.
But for Bagwai – a town that enshrines one of the largest water dams in the state, having a storage capacity of over one hundred (100+) million cubic meters, with a greenery landscape for creatives and tourists – the histories diminish like water vapor in the sky. “This is one of the motivations behind BLF; we want to preserve and document our history for the generation to come,” bemoans Umar Bello Galadima, an award-winning creative photographer and one of the co-founders of BLF.
“There are many untold stories and histories in our land, ranging from cultural practices, notable figures, historic landmarks, and what have you… but we lack storytellers, those who can go out there to explore and showcase them to the world. This is what we aim to train and do together at BLF. We want to have all forms of creatives among us to tell the stories of our land – because it’s worth it,” Safwan said.
Profiles of the Founders
- Safwan Suhaib Ibrahim is a dental surgery student and award-winning creative writer with a keen interest in philosophy and natural sciences. His published works have appeared in national and international literary magazines.
- Umar Bello Galadima, a graduate of biotechnology, is a youth activist and a multiple award-winning phone photographer and poet who uses creative expression to amplify social issues and inspire positive change.
- Anas Mu’azu Ishaq is a graduate of health education, a classroom teacher, and an infrequent Hausa language poet whose verses examine some of the underappreciated histories of the Hausa communities. He designs Canva and advocates for good governance.
- Sajuda Mahmud Isah is a student nurse at Maryam Abacha American University of Niger, a spoken word poet, and a lover of culture and nature. She has performed at major poetry stages in Northern Nigeria, including the maiden edition of KAPFEST, where she wowed audiences with her unique ideas and tasty verses.
- Aliyu Ibrahim is a registered nurse who is currently exploring creative writing and UI/UX design. He has an upcoming book, The Denizens, which he is yet to reveal what it’s all about.
Connecting the Dots
Despite being a network of students and early-career professionals, most of whom are not based at home, these young people believe distance isn’t a barrier, and they stay true to their words. Since they founded BLF, they have maintained occasional ‘book reading and tea-and-talk evenings,’ where they take tea and pore over books by the Bagwai Dam.
But there are pressing challenges. The founders noted that lack of career guidance is one out of many challenges that make young people less passionate about literary and language majors, which makes it hard for them in selecting trainee members for their forum. Moreover, limited access to funds hinders them from organizing many important sessions that would create awareness on sensitive issues in the society.
While attending the recent Kano International Poetry Festival, Anas Mu’azu – BLF’s representative hopes that they will partner with local authority and sponsors from anywhere to organize something similar in their town, to inspire the upcoming generation and stakeholders into action.
One of their members, Zakariyya Jafar, a recent secondary school graduate, believes that his dream of becoming a writer will come to life someday courtesy of BLF. “I hope to learn writing from my experienced colleagues here, because I have been holding untold stories that I hope to share with the world someday,” he said.
