BY AISHA YUSUF SABO
I attended a two-day journalism workshop on the 18th and 19th, that piqued my curiosity, and now, I look forward to attending more of such sessions. As part of the Borno Book and Arts Festival scheduled for December 20th-22nd, 2024, this workshop was organized to guide those interested in either of journalism, creative writing, mobile videography, and prompt engineering. The goal was to help participants master new skills and tell compelling stories both within Borno State and beyond. The journalism workshop, facilitated by Abdulhamid Al-Gazali, the Editor-in-Chief of Yerwa Express News, along with his colleagues Mr. Abdulkadir and Mr. Sadiq, was interactive, insightful, and highly inspirational. Personally, Mr. Abdulhamid's words of encouragement seem to be the push I needed to write stories. I have always believed that stories are a part of us and they all need to be told. What better way is there to tell stories than through writing? And, if not now, when? Like He mentioned, " There are so many stories around us and if we do not write those stories they'll be buried forever." The workshop, which I like to call a turning point, went well. I also had the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Mr. Abdulhamid's good sense of humor added to the experience, and by the end of the workshop, we engaged in a lively banter about gender matters. We bid each other goodbye, with hopes of meeting again during the festival. The Borno Book and Arts Festival, which begins today, December 20th, 2024, is focused on "building resilience, enhancing access to quality education and protection for children, healing, cultural revitalization, and shaping a brighter future for Borno State through all aspects of development." The people of Borno, along with those from other parts of the Northeast and Nigeria at large, are excited for what the festival has to offer. With panel discussions, art exhibitions, book chats, and much more, we remain optimistic that the festival will truly capture its theme: "Reimagining Tomorrow."