Poetry As Security Advocacy: State-Led Mitigation Strategies in The 2021 Hausa Poetry Competition on Insecurity in Northern Nigeria

Poetry functions as a potent, non-violent instrument for shaping collective societal consciousness by conveying diverse messages concerning education, social relations, elections, politics, morality, and religion. The state authority (government) constitutes the backbone of any society; thus, a nation lacking a functional governance system to manage its structural framework and daily affairs inevitably faces instability and regression. This paper examines selected entries from a 2021 poetry competition focused on the security crisis in Northern Nigeria, with the aim of elucidating the role of state authorities in mitigating national security threats as conceptualized by the poets. The study employs a qualitative methodology that integrates textual analysis, interviews with selected poets, and a review of relevant literature. The findings reveal that state-led implementation of justice, youth employment, anti-corruption measures, political reform, border control, direct counter-terrorism operations, conflict resolution, socioeconomic empowerment, and arms control are pivotal to restoring security. Conversely, the failure of state authorities to fulfil these fundamental responsibilities plunges the nation into severe crises characterized by the loss of lives, destruction of property, and displacement, as vividly illustrated by the analyzed poetic verses. The study contributes to scholarship on the intersection of cultural production, peacebuilding, and governance in contemporary Africa.

Security, State Authority, Poetry Competition, Security Mitigation Strategies.

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