By Henry Akubuiro
It was yet another award for Nigeria’s foremost promoter of arts and culture, Dr. Bukar Usman, at the recent International Writers’ Conference organised by Pan African Writers’ Association (PAWA), Nigerian Academy of Letters and Association of Nigerian Authors, which was held at the Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, from June 23-25, 2022.
Dr. Usman was a sight for sore eyes at PAWA’s award night and dinner for the delegates, which took place at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, away from the ivory tower venue of previous events, on Saturday June 25, 2022.
The award was presented to him on behalf of PAWA by Tunde Odunlade, the proprietor of the Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery, Ibadan.
Earlier, in a letter dated May 30, 2022, signed by Dr. Wale Okediran, the Secretary General of PAWA (Pan African Writers’ Association), on behalf of PAWA’s Council, the body said Dr. Usman was to be honoured with the Award of the Noble Patron of the Arts Award as a result of his “longstanding commitment to the Arts and Literature in Nigeria and in diaspora.”
In a chat with Daily Sun, the award recipient recounted his motivations for promoting arts in the country: “I had stated several times over that I had been a bureaucrat essentially. I never set out to be a writer. Rather, I regarded myself as an administrative historian.
“After about three decades in the federal public service, I felt I had gathered some experience about public service which I needed to share with the public. Enough of writing in files.
“As I wrote on several subjects, including folktales, the feedback from the reading public had been most encouraging and, along the way came the recognitions and awards, the latest of which is the Noble Patron of the Arts award by the Pan African Writers‘ Association (PAWA) which embraces 38 African countries. This award is perhaps the crowning of it all.”
Speaking on what the award meant to him and the Bukar Usman Foundation, Dr. Usman said: “Award of this nature is a recognition. It means what one is doing is being appreciated. That in itself is an encouragement for my foundation as the main sponsor of my publications and myself to do more, and I can assure well wishers of our commitment to do so within available resources. It is my fervent prayer that God will empower us to achieve greater heights.”
Four of his books are on the way, among which are: My Literary Works —Reviews and Reports and Conversations with Bukar Usman. The others are: My Involvement in the World of Folktales and Peace, Unity and Nation Building: In Nigeria and Africa.