FINALE OF KATSINA NATIONAL TALENT HUNT CHALLENGE COMPETITION
By Kabir Ahmed S/Kuka, Katsina
Many youth participated in the four categories of talent hunt competition which include Art and Design, ICT, Automobile Modelling and Products as well as Music and Entertainment.
In the speech delivered during the ceremony, the initiator of the programme, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state, said “Today’s event will go down in the history of Katsina state as a demonstration of our administration’s commitment to the development of young men and women of katsina state in particular and the country in general.
"The government deliberately initiated the Katsina National talent Hunt Challenge Competition because of our desire to encourage innovation and develop the potential talent of our youth of our state and Nigeria at large.”
Governor Masari said the concluded season one, which culminated in the grand finale on the 15th February 2022 was a testimony to the huge success recorded by the programme, adding that part of the achievements of the programme was its contribution towards the awakening and unlocking of the potential talents of thousands of young men and women in Katsina state.
“From the records, a substantial number of families significantly benefited from the financial support and entrepreneurship training given through the programme. Majority of those youth who participated in the competition are now self-reliant and working hard in order to earn a decent living. All these are part of the achievements recorded by the Katsina National talent hunt competition.
“It is in view of the success recorded in season one that I gave the approval for the commencement of season two which gave opportunity to thousands of youth to participate
“As part of our resolve to support more youth, aviation training is now added to the scope. Interested and qualified youth of Nigeria and Katsina state origin, who want to pick a career in the aviation industry are being prepared for sponsorship at the aviation training college in Zaria, Kaduna state.
The Governor said, based on the appreciable contribution of the programme, especially towards the youth as a segment of the society, his administration had institutionalized it through an annual provision in the budget so that even after his tenure, the programme will continue with its brilliant work.
“At this juncture, I want to call on the state ministry of science technology and innovation, management team and entire staff of the Katsina national talent hunt competition to continue with your good work, because posterity will judge you as those who contributed their quota towards the progress of the state and the nation. We congratulate the winners who emerged victorious after the very competitive and tedious process. It is our hope that the prizes you have won today as winners will be judiciously put into proper and productive usage, so that you will generate more for the benefit of the society.
Governor Masari calls on youth, who are the prospective participants not only from Katsina state, but from across the nation, to come out en masse and participate in the competition, this will no doubt export their talents not only in Nigeria but across the globe.
“I wish also to call on parents to give their children the maximum support and encouragement, so that they can expose their talent and intelligence for the benefit of humanity", Masari said.
The overall winner, Muhammad Muhammad, who emerged from the ICT category, created a cartoon and mission on the life of the legendary Bayadidda, the father of the seven Hausa states. He said his goal as a local content creator was to ensure that the culture of the Hausa people is revived through the recreation of history using information and communication technology, using the Hausa language.
“If you observe, all the cartoons that our children are watching are actually foreign even if they are translated into our local languages, the content still remains foreign, that is why I feel it is necessary for us to start producing our local content, using our local languages,”.
He expressed his happiness over the feat and said he sees it as a stepping stone towards greater successes as that would not make him complacent but it will serve as a motivation.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the made in Nigeria electric car by the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Jelani Aliyu, who served as the guest speaker of the occasion.
An overall winner and his runner up went home with a brand new Honda Accord car each. The other winners include Maryam Ahmed in Art and Design who emerged as a winner in this category. She received the cheque of five million naira while Ishaq Aliyu Kankia and Ahmed Lawal who received the sum of three million each. In ICT section, the winner Abdullahi Lawal received the cheque of five million naira. Aliyu Wada and Ahmed Lawal received the cheque of three million naira respectively.
In Automotive Design, the winner is Nasir Isa who received the cheque of five million. While one hundred other participants went home with a consolation prize of N100, 000 cash each.
This is to encourage and support our teeming youth to appreciate hard work and competitiveness as a way of success in life".