Stories by Ibrahim Ramalan
The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign debts, Sen. Shehu Sani, has pledged to dedicate substantial part of his time at the Senate to the realisation of the objectives and missions of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), chief among which is sponsoring a bill to establish an endowment fund for Arts and Literature.
Sani made this pledge when members of the association led by its President, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
According to him, literary writing could play a critical role in the socio-economic and political development of the country. As such, notable writer and human rights activist as he is, he identified himself with the writers body when he said, “As a representative of my people, Nigeria and also as a representative of Writers Association under ANA, I pledge to dedicate a substantial amount of my time in this Senate to the success of ANA.
“I will work toward the realisation of the objectives, goals and the principles of ANA as stated in the
mission statement of its constitution and also of the vision of the new leadership.
The Senator however decried the current intellectual deficiency of our young people, attributing it to lack of reading and the culture of twitter and face book has created laziness in the youth.
“We have seen how a vibrant culture of literature and reading, has been destroyed by the poverty of ideas of our leaders. We have had leaders that were lacking in the culture of how literature can do to a society and its economy, and with this, and with this, a younger generation of Nigerians has also lost interest in literature,” he bemoaned.
The lawmaker also congratulated writers for having a dynamic leader in Denja Abdullahi, adding that Denja is a round peg in a round hole for the job.
He said: “Your presence at the National Assembly is a mark and shift to demonstrate a new dimension of vision and focus that your new leadership will give ANA a new lease of life and direction.
Earlier, the President of ANA, Mr. Abdullahi commended the Senator for the support he has been giving to the association, especially a Bill to create a National Endowment Fund for the Arts in the country.
Mallam Abdullahi said the fund if approved, will boost the Arts and Culture sector in the country, and chart a fresh course for the literature in the country.
He said: “We view Arts Endowment Fund as the final solution to the perennial underfunding of the arts if the fund sees the light of the day. In fact one of major thrust of my manifesto in my seek for the Presidency of the association, is to lead the advocacy for the establishment of the National Endowment Fund for the Arts.”
The President therefore expressed the association’s willingness to provide whatever information and support required to see the bill through, especially during the public hearings.
