Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu Schools Festival (HIASFEST).
HIASFEST is sponsored by Alhaji Bala Abdullahi Kwatu in memory of the late wife of Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, Hadiza Ibrahim Aliyu. The festival comprises of contests in poetry, short story and creative non-fiction writing, cultural dance, painting, spoken word, craft, song in English,quiz and drama. It is the biggest art event for secondary schools in Nigeria. There are scholarship schemes for two university students in HIASFEST as well as other scholarships for winners.
The festival runs other prizes for teen authors and established writers. There is the Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors for published and unpublished works (Poetry and Fiction) of teen authors in any secondary school in Nigeria. Also, there are prizes for five indigenous languages of Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Nupe and Gbagyi in both creative writing and science.
This festival has special prizes by Maryam Aliyu: two Golden Awards, Best Teachers’ Awards, HIASFEST Star Prize, Most Valuable Contestant Awards, and Best-Behaved School Award. Similarly, there is an award of Scholarship by Mona Faruk Aliyu for the girl-child, and other awards by Faruk Aliyu & Saadiya Aliyu. The festival is organized by the Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Minna. www.hiasfest.com.ng