World Poetry Day: Poet seeks FG’s support
NAN-ELS-9
Poetry
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, March 21, 2017 (NAN) Mr Ahmed Maiwada, a renowned poet has called on the Federal Government to support the celebration of poetry in the country to encourage poets do better.
He made the called during his opening remark at the 7th Korean-Nigeria Poetry Fiesta at the Korean Cultural Center on Monday in Abuja, to commemorate the world Poetry Day.
Maiwada, a 2009 Nominee of the NLNG Literature Prize, said that poetry was a serious business hence its celebration should be taken seriously.
“Nigerian Government should acknowledge and celebrate poetry instead of leaving it in the hands of international cultural centres and other individuals.
`The United Nation decided to start celebrating poetry day in 1999 because it was discovered that poetry was going into extinction.
`Poetry is special, it is written in lines with hidden message for the reader or hearer to think deep; that is why we celebrate Prof. Niyi Osundare, one of Nigerian’s best.
“I want to appreciate the effort of the Korean Cultural Centre in identifying poets in the country and awarding their work with prizes,’’ he said.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre, Mr Han Sungrae said that the first Poetry Fiesta was done in 2011 to mark the opening of the Centre in Nigeria in 2010.
Sungrae said the centre was committed to encourage students and adult in the area of poetry and arts in the country.
“In this year’s poetry competition, there were 472 entries for the adult category and 116 entries from 21 schools in the school category.
“We will continue to do our best to encourage poets to do their best,’’ he said.
In the adult category, Patricia Innocent emerged the winner and was awarded N100,000.
Mariam Oluwasheun and Okewu Oke came second and third and were awarded seventy thousand naira and fifty thousand naira respectively.
In the school category, Aisha Waya from Capital Science Academy, Abuja emerged winner and was awarded fifty thousand naira only.
Others are Faith Jonah of African Child College, Kubwa who came second and was awarded thirty thousand naira while Yusuf Mohammed of Vima School, Minna, Niger State came third and was awarded twenty thousand naira only.
Highlight at the event include poetry presentation by different poets in attendance.
The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision to proclaim 21 March as World Poetry Day was adopted during UNESCO’s 30th session held in Paris in 1999.
One of the main objectives of the Day is to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard within their communities.
The observance of the day is also meant to encourage a return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, to promote the teaching of poetry, to restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts
This was done to support small publishers and create an attractive image of poetry in the media, so that the art of poetry will no longer be considered an outdated form of art, but one which enables society as a whole to regain and assert its identity.(NAN)
CMY/EAL
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
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