Five books in honour of 13th year of children’s writing workshop

In 2006, I found that my children were bored out of their minds in the summer school they attended. I found out that their cousins were as bored. I was also discovering that the kids hated the very idea that their teachers whom they saw all term long were to be their summer school teachers. Not again they screamed between rooms and the kitchen. If I see Mrs so and so one more day during the holiday, I do not know what I am going to do. It was difficult to hear them complaining. I also found out that they were for the most part terrified that they were going to face the same subjects in school. Maths, social science, English etcetera. I was getting feedback about our education as it stood and what could be done differently for summer school. One they did not want a summer school back in their schools. Same, same. Secondly they did not want the same teachers. Thirdly, they had had enough of regular subjects. I then began to search for a summer school in Abuja which had all the qualities I thought children enjoyed like Art and creativity and adventure and I found none. Everything was Adire making, more maths, more English and running round a park. So I took the gauntlet and began to create a curriculum for after school summer programme that no one had. I needed to create a summer school that was fun and adventurous while still providing learning. If no one had it then I was going to create it for my kids, their friends and their cousins. And so The Treasured writers, TTW was born. What started as a weeklong event for children between the ages of 7 and 14 has snowballed into one of Abuja’s most inspiring summer writing workshop for children. In the last 13 years we have had a different theme every year and taught what most schools do not teach. We teach leadership, survival, managing your health, charity and kindness among other things. We teach writing, short stories and poetry and we teach acting, comedy, music and art. One year we taught acting and flew in phenomenal Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw. Ashy girl became our star after she belted out the best acting ever as an angry wife. Today she is graduating from Media and Theatre school in Canada and is the school’s students dance co-ordinator. Another year we had a Chicago based architect, Kingsley Aduaka, facilitate and today we have two of our participants as graduates of Architecture. We are grateful to all our resource persons, volunteer facilitators, partners, participants and parents who trusted us with their children. Last year we had as our guest resource person, upcycle architect, Bilisu Jungo who taught us waste to wealth. This year’s edition beginning on the 26th at the Eugenia Abu Media centre at the Maitama Amusement Park has Mrs Kokab Faroukh, a Pakistani Artist as our guest for Art to Life. I have heard people ask whether we will go to other cities, it is being considered, whether we will do a second edition in Easter, that is also been considered. For now, we are ready to get down and have fun in the 2019 edition. Let us spread some love while learning. Here are five books to indicate our joy at turning 13 years in giving children a lot of fun.

1. Dauda and the Cockerel by Alkassim Absdulkadir. The winner of the journalist of the year award, Alkassim Abdulkadir and Head, Communications of the Presidential Initiative of the North East wrote this incredible slim volume book which we have always used in our TTW classes. Simply written with amazing illustrations, we have invited Alkassim over the years to join us in educating the kids about writing a book and reading. We are always enriched when Alkassim visits and his book remains a great memory in the minds of our over 500 participants.
2. I do not come to you by chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. This book about 419 and its many tales which went on to win the 2013 commonwealth prize for literature has been severally distributed to participants. And the lovely Tricia Nwaubani has guest facilitated up to three editions of the treasured writers. Most kids believe that a ghost wrote the many books they read and when we bring real writers to them, they are intrigued and inspired. We have many participants who now aspire to write books.
3. NLNG shortlisted writer Chinyere Obi Obasi has been a source of inspiration for many of our participants who we have often given her children’s book, The brave Driver. Ever faithful to TTW, all of Chinyere’s children participate routinely and she accepts the role of resource person as often as we ask her, teaching creativity and inspiring the next generation.
4. Denja Abdullahi’s Abuja nunyi, is one of our favourite poetry collections at TTW. Capturing the breath-taking beauty of the federal capital city in at once evocative and powerful language describing Abuja’s landscapes and landmarks in truly powerful words, Denja Abdullahi gives us poetry in such amazing language. He has been over the years, judge of the short story competition for the children and resource person for our famous Poetry class, Poetry in a bottle.
5. Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Features Editor of the Trust newspapers and author of Season of Crimson Blossom, has been one of our repeat and passionate resource persons. He teaches writing and also how to improve your imagination.

BONUS BOOKS:

Diego Okonyedo’s poetry collection, From a Poet to its creator, Henry Akubuiro’s The little wizard of Okokomaiko, Benjamin Ubiri’s The book of Chibok and Elnathan John’s award winning, Born on a Tuesday. These are all books featured at TTW over the years and the authors have all come to visit with our participants and shared their literary journey. We salute you all and all others who have honoured us.