IN a stunning display of literary excellence, the 2023 African Writers Awards crowned remarkable talents in of prose, poetry, and children’s literature. Hosted during the annual African Writers Conference at the UNIMAC-GIJ North Dzorwulu Campus in Accra, Ghana, this year’s event from November 1-5 celebrated the richness of African storytelling and creativity.
The prestigious $500 African Writers Prize for poetry found its deserving recipient in Marial Awendit from South Sudan for the mesmerising work titled The Nilotic Coddiwomple.
In the 5th edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature, three exceptional writers took the spotlight. Chantelle Chiwetalu from Nigeria clinched the top spot with Tato, followed by Lindsay Katchika-Jere’s Thandi and the Hair Whisperer from Malawi securing second place. Grace Tendo from Uganda claimed the third position with Meeme and the Singing Calabash. Collectively, a total of $450 was awarded for this category.
The second edition of the $100 African Teen Writers Awards for poetry saw Adedokun Ibrahim from Nigeria triumph with This Poem Leads Back Home. Following closely, Johanna Ataman’s Rhythm secured the second spot, while Theresa Shukrani Mulindwa from Zambia attained the third position with E-M(AI)L. Runner-ups in this category didn’t receive cash rewards.
Meanwhile, the African Teen Writers Award for prose witnessed an all-Nigerian dominance in its second edition. Divine Okpe was honoured with the $100 prize for A Flipped Coin, with Oluwanifemi Fagbolagun’s Alone and Fayemi Iyinoluwa’s Treasure securing second and third place, respectively. Unfortunately, no cash awards were provided for the subsequent top achievers.
Anthony Onugba, the founder of Writers Space Africa and Chief Judge of the awards, extended gratitude to the panel of judges hailing from diverse corners of Africa. ‘We are immensely thankful to the judges who dedicated their time and expertise to the success of the awards,’ he said. Onugba announced that the 2024 African Writers Conference will be held in Rwanda, promising yet another celebration of African literary brilliance.
Keywords: African Writers Awards, 2023, UNIMAC-GIJ, Accra, Ghana, prose, poetry, children’s literature, winners, African Writers Conference, literary excellence, storytelling, African Teen Writers Awards, Writers Space Africa, Anthony Onugba, Rwanda.
