Theme: Forge Ahead

Pompomari is a community under Maisandari Ward in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State. It is in the northern part of the city, with a community of diverse ethnic settings and a population of over 5,000 inhabitants. Though a small area, Pompomari holds historic relevance in the city, having existed for over half a century before the creation of Yobe state. A major landmark in the suburb is the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, the only Federal Polytechnic in the entire state with students drawn from all over the 17 local government areas of the state. This community has hosted over 2,000 internally displaced persons at the Pompomari IDP camp during the peak of the Boko Haram crisis. This community has bred some of the finest individuals contributing to the growth and development of the city, in the area of academics, civil service, politics and governance, private sector, innovation and technology, research and development etc.

Desert Multipurpose Hall
Maiduguri-Gujba bye-pass, Damaturu, Yobe State
Damaturu, Yobe, 620101
Nigeria

Adama Balla

Women and Disabilities Advocate

Adama Yerima Balla was born on the 19th of December, 1974 in Maiduguri, Borno State. At the time of her birth, her father, the late radical politician Malam Yerima Balla, was the Commissioner of Lands and Survey in the old North Eastern State. While her mother, Malama Zulai Abdullahi Daya, was a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School, Maiduguri (now Unity College). Both her parents are from royal families. Her father was from the Kilba royalty of Hong in today’s Adamawa State, while her mother is a Princess of Goya Chiefdom in today’s Yobe State, where she holds the title of Magaram of Daya. Adama contracted polio at the age of 15 months because she missed a vaccination. This was because at that time, the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) was not always available in the hospitals and vaccination was not as regular as it is today. She has written two other amazing books, MY ATTEMPT AT SELF EXPRESSION (poetry) and ECHOES OF MOTHERHOOD (play).

Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem

Legal Practitioner

Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem is a Lawyer and Partner at Adetola-Kazeem Legal Practice (formerly Gani Adetola-Kaseem (SAN) Legal Practice). He specialises in Labour/Employment Law, Medical/Health Law, Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defence and Human Rights. He is the Founder/Executive Director of Prisoners' Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI) an NGO striving to make Nigeria’s prisons truly reformatory and also ensuring that inmates break the cycle of poverty and crime through Advocacy, Legal Defence, Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration. He is the President of Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN). The club which has won more than 500 individual medals and 10 trophies, emerged the best grassroots club and the most improved club at the last Nigeria Taekwondo Federation awards. He was awarded the Nigerian Legal Rising Star Award (40 Under 40) 2019. He is a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow.

Aisha Gimba

Aisha Umar Gimba is a poet, spoken word artist, and an avid bibliophile from Potiskum Yobe State. She held an NCE certificate in Business Education from Federal College of Education (Technical) Potiskum, Yobe State in the year 2020. Through poetry, she had had the good fortune to be a member of highly effective community coalitions and advisory groups typical one is the Yobe Literary Society, where she currently serves as the SARDAUNA (Deputy Secretary). One of her poems titled “African Lady” was cast at African Union Youth Summit 2020. She was awarded a Literary Personality Award as the Best Spoken Word Artist by the Yobe Literary Society at the Yobe Peace and Art Festival 2021. She was also a guest poet at the Northeast University Students Peace Conference 2022 by the Student Intellectual Club, Yobe State University. She's a teacher who's passionate about Reading, Writing Poetry, Photographing, and the World of Tech. She sees teaching as the heart of her vocation which will manifest itself in any role she plays. She uses social media and other digital media channels to lend her voice.

Hussaina Sufyan

Freelance Writer and Public Speaker

Hussaina Sufyan Ahmed also known as Husniiya is a National Diploma Holder in Mass Communications from Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, in 2014. She also bagged her first Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2019. Hussaina is a freelance writer, a freelance journalist, a public speaker and an advocate of Education for every child. Hussaina is the Chief Executive Officer of Hussaina Sufyan Ahmed Consultancy, where she sponsors primary school children in competitions, organises essay workshops for adults, teaches English literature from scratch and public speaking tips via her youtube channel. She is also the host of Poetic Wednesday studio on facebook. The host of HICH (Hussaina In CHATBOX) and a virtual private tutor in communications and literature. Hussaina's philosophy is "confidence in optimism can be falsified but should it matter?"

Ikleemat Abdulkadir Isa

Ikleemat Abdulkadir Isah was born in Potiskum. She holds a Nigeria Certificate in Education in Integrated Science and Biology Education in 2015; a final year student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University affiliated to Federal College of Education (Technical) Potiskum studying Biology Education. Mother to 3 beautiful boys; she worked as a classroom teacher for a year and later was promoted to the rank of School Head where she held the post for 3 years. Ikleemat is a reader and a seasoned writer. Currently, she is working as a learner's facilitator of Girl Child Education Under BESDA (Better Education Service Delivery for All) program.

Ismail Auwal

Editor and Journalist

Ismail Auwal is the Managing Editor of Sahelian Times and a Goldin Institute Fellow in Chicago. He was one of three winners of the Accountability Lab Nigeria's 2019 Sustainable Development Goal 16 innovation challenge. In 2018, Ismail was the Open Governance Partnership (OGP) initiative's first Anti-Corruption thematic Lead in Kano. He was also an International Youth Delegate at the 2021 OGP Global Summit in Korea.

Kaltume Gana

Visual Artist

The artist Kaltume Gana, lives in kano and hails from Yobe State in North-eastern Nigeria. She holds both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Fine Arts, Mosaic, Murals & Painting from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Nigeria. She has also done extensive studies in Islamic arts from Mimar Sinan University in Istanbul, Turkey. Kaltume is presently the Curator of the Kano office of the National Gallery of Art, Nigeria. Kaltume recycles waste in the wealth of arts where she portrays beauty and elegance of nature and how humans can revitalize the planet and reduce burdens on the climate. She cherishes art for saving and salvaging displaced people and the poor.

Muazu Modu

Youth Advocate and Grassroot Campaigner

Muazu Alhaji Modu is an activist and mobilizer with over 7 years professional experience in social accountability, community organizing and advocacy. He is a recipient of multiple fellowships, most notable among includes; Prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, University of Georgia Civic Engagement Academy, University of Pretoria’s Center for Human Right, Digital Right in Africa Fellowship, Ashoka Changemakers Everywhere Fellowship and 2022 Young Global Changers. He is currently the Chief Executive of Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative and the founder of Citizen-led Tracking, a data-driven social accountability initiative that uses data and leverages digital technology to empower and work with citizens at the grassroots to demand accountability and enhance transparency on government spending.

Muhammad Danfulani

Muhammad Umar Danfulani He obtained obtained Bsc. Human Anatomy, Masters in Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies and currently pursuing 2nd Masters in Public Health in ABU Zaria. His research focuses on Humanitarian crisis during insurgencies and need for resettlement and reconstruction at the Center for Disaster Risk Management and Development Studies Abu. He is currently carrying out a research on ”The Role of Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in managing Boko Haram insurgent in Gujba LGA of Yobe State, Nigeria”. He is a proactive young person with a healthy inclination towards self-improvement as well as positively impacting those around him He makes sure to keep himself up to date with relevant information around the globe so as to help him fit in anywhere. He is passionate about giving back to the society. He worked with Near foundations from 2019-2021 as the Zonal Coordinator of Kaduna State. Organized A one-day Colloquium on Educational upliftment with the theme Curbing the Agents of Educational Decadence where 116 beneficiaries where officially graduated from Near Foundation scholarship schemes (the beneficiaries received 10,000 per month for 10 Months) under his leadership as the Zonal Coordinator of Kaduna State Near Foundation, 2021. Danfulani’s passion for wanting to fight against Illiteracy, Poverty and how to solve the problems of Disunity through quality Education made him and his friend to establish a private Educational Company (Bright Future Jamb & SSCE Training Center, in Kaduna A standard-based educational center for JAMB, WAEC & NECO exams. Danfulani earnest desire for fashion and clothing at a very young age made him realize his passion for fashion and made him to run a fashion business called Dan-Fulani’s Collections (DFC). DFC is a trendsetting enterprise that specializes in offering a wide range of high-quality services such as; Tailoring for both Male and Female dresses, Suit Sewing, Shoe Making, Graphics and Printing, Photography, Fashion Academy and many more. DFC started in 2015 and was launched in 2017 since then it has been offering top-notch services to customers across Nigeria, Turkey, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Niger. DFC offers young aspiring fashion designers the platform to stand, to explore their creativity, to develop their passion and to utilize it for their good and the good of the world. Received an Award of Most Influential College of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine ABU, 2018. Received Academic Award of Excellence in special recognition of his high standard in academic excellence he earned during the year 2014 - 2018. He was honored with Traditional title as under Zaria Emirate Council as MAJI KIRAN BOMO based on his endless support in the field of Education and health to the people of Bomo District of Zazzau Emirate Council in 2021.

Ramadan Yusuf

Ramadan Yusuf is a Computer Science graduate from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. He is versatile with eight years of experience in ICT and business development.He is a certified digital transformation strategist, a corporate brand strategist and Google certified digital marketer. He also specializes in Innovation management with certification from Erasmus Uuniversity Rotterdam. Ramadan is the brand and Innovation Officer at NNFM the makers of golden penny & Mai Kwabo products. Ramadan is the co-founder & Programs Director of WISH Creatives Society. He is a well-known advocate for peace, social justice, good governance and political hiegen. He is a spoken word artist and performed in several events, including Wordup Kano, Art360, TEDx Aminokanoway amongst others.

Rukayya Iyayi

Women and Mental Health Advocate

Rukayya Ibrahim Iyayi is the founder of MAQ foundation for substance abuse prevention and mental health awareness. She’s the youngest female Acting Dean of Students in Nigeria at the Baze University of Abuja. She holds masters degree in Conflict Resolution Security and Development, International Affairs and Strategic Studies and in Sociology, she’s a women's right activist that believes sustainable peace can only be attained when women are empowered and given their rights. A 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow.

Sa'id Sa'ad

Poet and Writer

Sa'id Sa'ad is a Nigerian writer and poet from Maiduguri. He won the Peace Panel Short Story Prize 2018 and NFC Essay Prize 2018. He co-authored the poetry collection, ReUnion. His radio dramas were translated into over 5 languages and produced in 4 Sub-Saharan African Countries. The Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka commended on "his passion" for writing. And in 2021, the Nigerian Prize for Literature Winner Soji Cole - in an interview - described him as "a highly intelligent writer."

Salim Yunusa

Freelance Writer and Journalist

Salim Yunusa is a freelance journalist, literary activist, a bilingual writer and translator. He’s the founder of the literary organization, called the Poetic Wednesdays Initiative, a wonderful organisation that promotes literature and literary activities in Northern Nigeria. He is also the editor-in-chief of Labarai.NG, an online news platform in Hausa. He was awarded The Outstanding Literary Promoter in Northern Nigeria by the Yobe Literary Society, where he was honored at the Yobe Peace and Arts Festival 2021. Minna Book and Arts Festival, Ahmadu Bello University Book and Arts Festival, Sokoto Book and Arts Festival among others. He was the Yasmin El-rufai Foundation Artist of the Month in April, 2019. He is an Equal Access International Peace Promotion Fellow and a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld. Salim is currently working on a short story collection in Hausa.