A FIESTA OF WORDS: KAFEST24 REVIEW

Kano International Poetry Festival #KAFEST24 is one of the most enriching literary events held by Poetic Wednesdays Initiative last week in Kano. 

Mudi Spikin Poetry Slam was the sensation of the event, it was truly a fiesta of words where men used words to literally display their fears, anger, love, sadness and joy; people could see their innermost feelings through the words they conjured. A fierce competition that brought the divine aspects of their beings.

The event has succeeded not just in marshalling the art of poetry by talented artists but x-rating poetry as a concept especially in relation to Hausa traditions, a venture dated back to tastuniya which gives armashi to the then stories. Subsequently, the introduction of Bollywood films in the 1960s in Nigerian cinemas further affected the poetic narrative through their lyrical aspects and dancing approaches. These were later incorporated into Kannywood in the late 1990s. Thanks to almighty Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu for the history session.

The emerging poetic genre of spoken word poetry in Northern Nigeria was also digested by a panel which comprised of a popular spoken word artist Abdulbasit Abubakar Adamu AKA AB Smith (@ab_wordsmith), an upcoming spoken word artist, Hidaaya Mahmoud Muhammad and Dr Murtala Uba Mohammed (@MurtalaUbaMoha1), the Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Kano state chapter adding the academic and historical touch to the session. It will interest you to know that spoken word poetry is also known as performance poetry, and this could be dated back to precolonial era during the Sheikh Usman Danfodiyo's jihad where poetry was one of the mechanisms of enlightening people on the basics of their Deen. It further used as a social tool in the struggles of Nationalism and politics of second and third republics.

Poetry for time immemorial has been used to inspire people to take action, and spoken word poetry seems to be majorly these days deployed in these approaches as it gains much appreciation in Northern Nigeria. This brings the question about the currency of poetry, I for one, read, write and listen to poetry because it makes me appreciate the art of word and it makes me happy. Is there any currency worth more value than this?

One will hardly forget the presence of legendary Billy 'O and co making the event lively and nostalgic. Kudos to Salim Yunusa (@salimpotter), Nasiba Babale (NaseebaBabale), Sada Malumfashi (@sadaoverall) and the team for giving us a July to reminisce.

How about the book chat on "The Incredible Dreams of Garba Dakaskus" authored by Umar Sidi (@UmarSidi11)? Well, that would be another post for I am still voyaging through the dimensions of alternate realities courtesy of the enchanted ink of Al-Juzjani, in his 'Guide to the Secret of Alphabet and other Mysterious Matters Related to the Arrangement of Letters in the Construction of Words and Sentences.'