Nurturing Local Creativity: The story of Sadisu Hassan Maidabino, A 500L Student of ABU Zaria
By Sadisu Hassan Maidabino
This will be an eye-opener for the ever-rising and untapped young talents in our local society. I am Sadisu Hassan Maidabino, a 500 level student of Building, from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. I am writing this piece to share my experience and encourage others with skills to also follow my path if they can.
Since the advent of the internet, the world begins to witness a rapid change in science technology. With the internet available in our local areas, our understanding of the world changed. Dating back to 2011, we had to trek to a nearby cafe to buy time for browsing but now the story is different as smartphones are at our disposal.
Myself, Haris, Abubakar, and Habibullah started this journey together in 2011 with a dream to fly our self made RC-Plane from scrapes and plastic materials (or wastes).
After several attempts to build a prototype of the plane, Haris’s father Mal. Musa (now an electrical engineering graduate from KUST, wudil in Kano) called our attention to his desk. Where he tutored us orally, manually and audiovisual.
By given us the assignment to make some basic composite shapes, I and Haris had to stay awake late nights to master the pieces. Afterward, we were able to build a prototype of various radio-controlled planes (UAV). Then our setbacks were on how to make our own servos, transmitter, and receiver.
After getting admission into ABU, I became acquainted with KIL (Kashim Ibrahim Library) where I used to read books about Aircraft, which connected me with friends like Alhassan from Mathematics Department (who later joined NCAT).
Since then, I realized that, in order to achieve our goals, we must connect with people that share our mindset. I joined many groups of RC-plane hobbies on Facebook to get more insight. Later I met people like Kmc Encyclopedia, Idris from NCAT,) and Faisal Ismail and many names on Facebook.
Where I created two groups but the most active one is “Naija youths innovation,” where you can find some of our works. Then came into my mind, “the need for encouraging creativity in my local society first, which begun towards the ending of last year (2019).
My campaign started with a few students within the age range of 9 to 15yrs. In which Abubakar Sadeeq Adam emerged as the overall winner of our first exhibition. After the emergence of COVID 19, the need to nurture their talents hiked.
I moved around my residing area to find those interesting in creativity, which most of the invited youths failed to come. Then I started mentoring the ones available on how to turn waste materials like plastic bottles, cartons, fabrics, etc into something useful.
They learned the basics of concept drafting and cutting of shapes to create composite or loose shapes. After which I gave them assignments before I finally announced our 2nd exhibition’s projects.
In less than a month period, all of them were able to come up with minor projects on their area of interest. Below is the list of the students with their projects:
#1- Abubakar Sadeeq Adam, 16yrs old and currently in SS1 had projects on the followings:
A- Enlarged scale City model
B- Stadium and
C- 6 story building model (emerged 1st position)
#2 – Sadiq Muhammad Sa’id, a JSS2 student came 2nd position with a model of one completed and another uncompleted stadium.
#3- Anas Musa, a JSS3 student had a project on a prototype of a space rocket that emerged as 3rd best.
#4- Mustapha Aminu, was the 4th position with a modeling work on Family House.
While from the female category:
#1- Ummi Jamilu, an SS1 student emerged 1st position with projects on a flower vase, Bag made of carton and textile pieces, and shoe made from the same material mentioned.
#2- Hajara Hassan Maidabino, a JSS2 student came 2nd best with a project on the mosaic (making a flower from sticks, matches, etc).
#3- Maryam Danlawan, a JSS2 student occupied 3rd place with projects on Calabash Room decoration, fabric, and shield mask.
The last but not the least is Zainab Muhammad Sa’id, a primary 4 student with a project plastic beads decoration.
Each of the participants left home with gifts as motivation, since then after our 2nd exhibition in July, they have been asking me if we are going to organize another competition. Shortly after the competition, Abubakar Sadeeq Adam brought a surprise to me: ” A model of space rocket s.”
After which we started planing on introducing a Technical Drawing Class, to bridge the gap between experience and technical education. Which we are about to start.
Abubakar Sadeeq Adam and Sadiq Muhammad Sa’id brought another uncompleted project to me to show their zeal to compete in another edition of our program: ” Naibawa youths creativity exhibition 2020.”
I wish to call the attention of students like us, who have a passion for creativity, to mentor and nurture young lads in our local community so that we can have more problem solvers in our country.
It is also important that the government encourage vocational education in our technical schools so that students will become more productive after graduating from University, Technical Colleges, and Polytechnics.
Sadisu Hassan Maidabino is a 500 level student of Building, from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
For Advert Placement, Sponsorship, support, Article submission, suggestion, etc, Contact us: info@theabusites.com, +2349015751816 (WhatsApp)
