My selection for an international writing program in the US (2022)

I honestly wasn't so much aware of the prestigious International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa (UI) until my engagement with the American Embassy in Ghana.

I had honoured an invitation from the embassy as a shortlisted candidate for the 2022 YALI program. The outcome of this interaction made the embassy think otherwise of my consideration for YALI.

Somehow my exploits as a writer thus far, over a decade it is, seemed to have impressed the interview panel, unbeknown to me.

The embassy reached out weeks after the interview with an offer that must be every writer's dream-- a consideration for the IWP at UI. My participation at the 2022 Fall Residency was to be confirmed months later.

How privileged I must have been to be offered such a life-changing opportunity to hone my writing skill at the highest level of writing!

I found this once more as testament that the West endeavours to celebrate merit. Indeed, in my particular instance, the closest I ever got to the officials at the embassy was correspondence via mail in which I supplied them with my documents.

The International Writing Program is an annual residency organised by the University of Iowa for writers. Each session brings together a cohort of about 30 writers the world over. It's generally regarded as the pinnacle of writers' residencies, justified by the fact that the University of Iowa is the first academic institution to run an MFA in creative writing which started in 1936.

With 17 alumni sweeping the coveted Pulitzer Prize, UI's MFA has more than proven its worth. Several Nobel Prize winners in Literature are alumni of this program. The residency is in its 55th year and has had over 1,500 writers in attendance.

This, no doubt, was my greatest accomplishment so far as a writer and I was beholdened to the American Embassy in Ghana and the University of Iowa for that new chapter. It was humbling but undeniably, elating. I looked forward to so much learning as I gathered with other writers for this fresh breath of knowledge sharing.

Six other illustrious Ghanaian writers had so far represented Ghana at this program since its inception in 1967.

In fact, it's over 20 years now when Ghana last had a representative.

I acknowledged with much regard the following Ghanaian writers of uncommon renown whose pace I followed suit:

Joseph Abroquah (1970)

Prof. Atukwei Okài (1979)

Dr. Rex Quartey (1982)

Prof. Kuwabong Dannabang (1990)

Prof Kofi Anyidoho (1998)

Amma Darko (2002)

To my dear brother, James Baba Salifu who sacrificed so much to peruse and make insightful suggestions to my resume and other related documents,

I shared this moment of joy with you.

I extended equal gratitude to every friend, family and fan of mine who had supported me since day one, most especially to those who kept faith in me when I took this road in the woods.