In a tribute to the legacy of the late Marafan Sokoto, Alhaji Umaru Ali Shinkafi, the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Legacy Foundation has concluded the maiden edition of its essay competition, recognising academic excellence and personal storytelling from students across three North-Western states.
Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), emerged among the top winners, with Abubakar Idris, a student of Dental Surgery, clinching the first position. Hafiz Sani Galadima from the Department of Nursing Sciences took second place, while Aliyou Labbo Gyartou of Medical Laboratory Sciences placed eighth in the competition.
The winners were awarded a tricycle, a motorcycle, and a laptop respectively for their outstanding essays on the topic: “Socio-economic Implications of Kidnapping and Banditry in Nigeria.”
Ahmad Rufai Khalifa, a representative of the Foundation, praised the high quality of submissions, disclosing that over 600 essays were received from Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states. “These are the states most affected by kidnapping and banditry. We wanted to hear directly from the youths in these communities,” he explained.
In a moving moment at the award ceremony, Abubakar Idris, the overall winner, shared that his essay was informed by personal experience. “I was kidnapped for about 18 days. My family had to pay more than two million naira before I was released. Writing this essay helped me speak my story,” he said.
The ceremony also featured prayers for the late Marafan Sokoto, with religious and community leaders in attendance offering blessings for continued peace and development in the region.
Organisers of the competition pledged to sustain the initiative annually and expand its reach beyond the initial three states, encouraging more young voices to contribute to the national conversation on security and development.
