How I wrote The King and Horseman in two and half days -Wole Soyinka
On his part, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State blamed the absence of deep thinking and lack of educated analysis on national discourse from graduates of higher institutions of learning on dying reading culture.
To this end, he urged writers to double up on their efforts in reviving the nation’s reading culture.
Sani, who was the Chairperson and represented by his Principal Secretary, Prof. Bello Ayuba said he didn’t expect anything other than a great work from someone who has benefitted from the immense experience of this literary colossus, Prof. Wole Soyinka .
He said the fact that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has adopted this literary work for use in the country’s public schools is a clear testimony of the worth of the material we are introducing to the public today.
Sani said: “Writers, young and old, should double up on their efforts to ginger the nation into reviving our reading culture, whose side effect is sadly manifest in the absence of deep thinking and educated analysis that we often see in our national discourse and from the products of our higher institutions of learning.
“We in leadership positions at all levels must see this as a challenge; we must not hesitate to encourage efforts such as this in whatever way we can. That way we would rejuvenate interest in learning in and out of the school system for the good of the society.”
The author of CreaTent, Mohammed Bello described the work as a literary arts initiative that was born out of the need to provide a nurturing habitat for young creatives.
According to him: “It is observable that many parents of artistically gifted children in our part of the world often don’t even realize they have a creative child whose gift needs a different kind of attention.”
Bello explained that he started writing from a very young age, though he struggled to find mentors.
He said: “I started writing from a very young age, and although I didn’t know what I was writing. During my university education in the United States, I discovered aphorisms — literary philosophy. These are concise expressions of universal truth, and I have published two books about them.
“I discovered my aphorism in me, and also I decided also to approach a few mentors, so I could get guided in the field of creativity. And also decided to establish CreaTent because I struggled to find mentors.
“I don’t know if I found prof or I attracted Prof. I don’t know, but Professor Wole Soyinka has really been an inspiration and a mentor.
“I founded CreaTent as a hub for parents who have creative children who may not know what signs to look out for, and also for young creatives and a few older ones to come around and see what creativity is all about.”
