Meet Harajana Umar Ragada: Our Inspiring Personality of the Month

PW: Who are you, and what defines your journey and purpose as a writer?

Harajana: Harajana Umar Ragada is a poet, writer, journalist, and MC, who hails from Niger State. My love for books aroused my interest in writing. I’m an ardent Pad a Girl advocate and a lover of reading, writing, and traveling.
More so, I’m a fellow of the prestigious Ebedi Writers’ Residency Iseyin, Oyo State, a fellow of Kallabi fellowship, and inspire her fellowship.

My love for books defines my journey and purpose as a writer. Even as a science student, I loved reading novels and poems and wished to write the same someday. It wasn’t easy initially as no one was willing to guide me. They told me writing is like a revelation from heaven and I didn’t understand what they meant until I started.

PW: Can you share your thoughts on Poetic Wednesdays and its impact?

Harajana: Poetic Wednesdays is a platform I regard with high esteem because of its contribution to grooming poets through its literary activities. With activities such as festivals, book chats, weekly prompts, workshops, etc, it has become a safe space for poets to learn and network. The North is proud of Poetic Wednesdays.

PW: Who are some of your favorite authors, and why?

Harajana: Because he is the only person I’ve read four of his books, I will mention only his name.
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim!
He is my favourite because he came to our house and took me on a journey through his writings. I saw all his characters, heard their conversations, and even fell for one of his characters. He is a genius.

PW: What’s one book you consider underappreciated, but worth reading?

Harajana: Not only one but most books written by an average Nigerian. We have talented writers, but most people don’t read them since they are not celebrity writers, or because they are Nigerians. We can do better in appreciating Nigerian writers by reading and promoting their works.

PW: Recently, PW curated the first Kano International Poetry Festival. What are your thoughts on this milestone?

Harajana: Personally, the Kano International Poetry Festival has helped promote me as a spoken word artist which is a great milestone for me. We need more of these kinds of festivals in the North. Kudos to the team for pulling resources to make it worthwhile.

PW: Are you currently working on or planning to write a book?

Harajana: I’m working on a book.

PW: If you had to spend a whole day without the internet but in the company of a favorite poet, who would that poet be, and why?

Harajana: Hmmmmm…
It would be with Salim Yunusa.
Because he has been an inspiration to me, both knowingly and unknowingly. Spending a whole day with him will allow me to drink from his waters so I could be like him.

Thank you.