The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has on Saturday, 25 th March,
2023, at the end of Creative Writing Workshop for the People with Disabilities (PWDs) in Kano
called for submission of entries for the people with disabilities on the themes bordering on
people with special needs. The competition was under the effort of CITAD to support and
amplify the voice of people with disabilities in all forms to demand for accountability and
inclusion in governance issues as well as help them to sustain that voice. CITAD sees creative
writing competition as a way to hone skills of the people with disabilities and teach them to be
articulate while expressing their thoughts and opinions. About 40 people with disabilities made
submissions in form of prose and poetry and in Hausa, English and Engausa. On Saturday, 15 th
July, 2023, the centre organized a one-day event at Prof. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem Hall, CITAD
ground Flour to honor and present prizes to the winners of the competition.
In his opening remarks, Sagiru Ado Abubakar, appreciated the effort of the participants in giving
quality content to demand for their rights. Sagir extended the message of the Executive
Director saying that the director wishes to be with participants but engaged in another
important activity out of office. He added that the work was sent to an editor and promised to
make publication when ready so that it could serve as tool for engagement during advocacy
visit to stakeholders in near future. on his part, the founder of All Poets Network International
who collaborated with CITAD in organizing the event said that, he is motivated by the keen
interest among people with special needs to have a platform for sending their message to the
world.
Three judges worked on the submission of the entries of the people with disabilities. According
to the criteria of marking an entry must have a theme on accountability and inclusion, or any
issue bordering on people with disabilities because of their impairment. in other hand, an entry
must have a titled, imagination, command of language, grammar, use of figure of speech, style
and clarity of message. Each criteria possesses equal marks and one entry has been cancelled
out due to the violation of the primary objective of the competition. The accumulative results
have been shared to the participants to see their performances in the competition.
The result has shown that, Baddiya Muhammad Ibrahim, Alhassan Isah Ahmad, Ibrahim
Umar Abdulkarim and Hamza Aminu Abdullahi emerged victorious and awarded each
an android smart phone. Badiyya Muhammad, a physically challenged person wrote a
non-fiction story of a physically challenged pregnant women who lost her preganancy in
the processes of maternity care in one of the government hospitals. She highlighted
how health workers maltreated patients including pregnant women. Badiyya’s story also
shown how health institutions are built without consideration of people with disabilities.
Malam Alhassan Isah Muhammad from the cluster of people with vision impairment
made submission of a story titled ‘Kowa Ma da Ranarsa’. A story of one blind female
professor who lectured students in a university. in her early life from the story, her poor

parent decided to send her for begging as norm of the environment as she was born as
a blind. in a typically Hausa society, anyone who born with any disability is expected to
beg for basic necessity of life. Fortunately for Malama Zainab acquired Islamic and
western education and become a professor in Bayero Universty, Kano.
The two other winners are also from the cluster of people with vision impairment. Malam
Ibrahim Umar Abdulkarim wrote two poems titled ‘My Blindness’, ‘Thanks Louis Braille’.
My Blindness, expressed how his eyes blanketed by a humongous thicket, enveloping
his sense of sight and never see a site. ‘Thanks Louis Braille’ a poem attributed to the
typing instrument that got him out of shame, brought him into fame, he can read, write
his name, enabling him to feel the same and whenever he went and came. The last two
poems were from Hamza Aminu Abdullahi, Public Relation Officer, cluster of people
with vision impairment. The poems titled ‘We are Blind and proud’, Kuka Na da Ilimi na’.
‘We are Blind and Proud’ says it loud that they are blind, and proud. They can speak
out, never living under the cloud and their wrongdoings are buried in a shroud. while
Kuka Na advocates for inclusion and accountability in the affairs of people with
disabilities.
The winners made different statements to show their appreciation on the prizes they
have been awarded. Badiyya Muhammad Ibrahim said that she was very happy she
heard her name among the winners and given a smart phone. she added that the prize
will encourage her to become a writer and an advocate. She then appreciated the effort
of CITAD and its staff for building their capacity. Malam Ibrahim Umar Abdulkarim said
that “I want to loud out my utmost appreciation for the beautiful prize I have received. I
shall put the phone to the most judicious uses to continue to demonstrate my writing
skills. May Allah replenish more than hundredfold of what CITAD has given us. this kind
gesture will remain indelible in our minds for as long as we live on earth”.
Alhassan Isah Ahmad thanked CITAD for embracing them with warm arms and giving
them CITAD utmost priority in all of their moves to make society their worth in spite of
their exceptionalities. “We owe a lot to your tender loving care, concern and kindness
thanks immeasurably”. Hamza Aminu Abdullahi said that the gift encouraged him to
wide his thinking on issues of accountability and inclusion on issues affecting them. The
gift could trigger his effort to become a poet and let the world know our problems not
only in the state but nationwide.

As next step, Sagiru Ado Abubakar informed that, the collection of submission has been
forwarded to Dr. Murtala Uba of Bayero Unversity, Kano for editing. After that, CITAD
promised to publish so that after the publication the book could serve as tool for
advocacy. He then told that the content of each submission could be used for radio
discussions with participants.
Lastly, as vote of thank Malam Alhassan Isah Muhammad sang a song for CITAD, its
staff and collaboration bodies.