HCAF STAR SERIES, MARCH 2025: INTERVIEW – Sumaiyah Muhammad Salisu

QUESTION: The Hilltop Creative Arts Foundation is known for her central role of nurturing creativity in youths across the country. How has being its member contributed to your growth as an artist, and what opportunities, or experiences have been most impactful for you?

ANSWER: Being a member of the Hilltop Creative Arts Foundation has been incredibly valuable to me. Beyond the daily encouragement and support from fellow members, it has opened up numerous opportunities for me as a writer. There are countless online literary magazines and platforms where I can submit my work, allowing me to share my voice with a wider audience. But more than that, it has given me the chance to connect with people I’ve always admired—writers and creatives whose work has inspired me. Through this network, I’ve not only learned and grown but also built meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals. The sense of community and the exposure to new opportunities have made a significant impact on my journey as a writer.

QUESTION: What themes and experiences push the creativity behind your work, and what part of the creative process poses a challenge to you?

ANSWER: The themes in my writing are often drawn from real-life experiences—things happening around me, things I see and hear. But more than anything, I find myself gravitating toward stories about girl-child rights, gender inequality, and the struggles women face. If you read most of my work, you’ll notice a pattern: my female characters are always fighting—fighting for freedom, fighting against oppression, violence, harassment, and domestic abuse.

I write about these issues because they are real. Women are suffering every day, and I believe that storytelling has the power to shed light on these realities. If my work can make people pause, reflect, and engage in conversations that lead to change, then I know I’m doing something right. As for challenges, I wouldn’t say I face anything unusual as a writer—except for the constant juggling. Being a student, a writer, a daughter, a content creator, and handling other responsibilities all at once can be exhausting. But at the end of the day, it’s all part of the journey, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

QUESTION: As a renowned creative, what advice would you give to emerging artists who are looking to balance the pursuit of artistic excellence with the desire for recognition and validation?

ANSWER: My advice would be to stay determined. If you have a deep passion for something, don’t just dream about it—work towards it. Success doesn’t happen overnight; it takes effort, consistency, and the willingness to keep going even when things get tough. At the end of the day, if something truly matters to you, give it your all. Stay committed, push through challenges, and keep moving forward. That’s how dreams turn into reality.

QUESTION: What purpose fuels your creativity ?

ANSWER: I can’t say for sure what fuels my creativity, but I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer—it’s been a dream for as long as I can remember. Beyond just writing, though, what truly fuels me is the desire to make an impact. I want to leave something behind, something that matters. I want people to read my work and feel something—whether it changes their perspective, makes them reflect, or simply stays with them long after they’ve turned the last page. That’s what drives me. And knowing that this is possible, that with enough effort and dedication, my words can truly make a difference, keeps me going.

QUESTION: Fifty years away from now, what do you want the literary world to perceive of your art?

ANSWER: Fifty years from now, I want the world to see my work as something that truly mattered. I want people to pick up my books and feel like they’re reading them for the first time, no matter how many years have passed. I want my stories to be timeless—to still resonate, still spark conversations, still hold meaning. That’s the kind of impact I hope to make—not just to write, but to write in a way that lingers, that stays with people long after I’m gone.

QUESTION: Is representation a priority for you, and do you see a need for your writing to reflect your background, or ancestral links?

ANSWER: That’s actually a great question, and to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it in depth. But in a way, I don’t feel the need for my writing to strictly represent my ancestry, background, or culture. Of course, cultural perspective matters—it shapes who we are and how we see the world—but I don’t write just to fit into a specific cultural or historical narrative. I write for the beauty of storytelling itself. My goal isn’t to exclusively write about Hausa people, history, or strictly Islamic themes. I want my work to be something anyone can pick up, connect with, and appreciate, regardless of where they’re from. The thing about representation is that when you write for a particular group, it naturally resonates more with them, but I don’t want to limit my reach. My stories should be universal, something that speaks to everyone in some way.