The Lumina Foundation, a Lagos-based leading literary organization and administrators of “The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa,” on Wednesday named Ghana as the host of the 2014 Awards Ceremony.
Professor Atukwei Okai, Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency, explaining that the awards ceremony would form part of a global celebration of the works of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who is would hit 80 years in 2014.
Activities lined up for the celebration include a Week of Theatre Arts in Accra, institutional colloquium in Europe and America, a congregation of world leaders and Nobel Laureates, as well as the publication of an anthology of tributes.
Prof. Okai said towards that end, PAWA had been nominated by the foundation as a partner in the event and tasked to publicize the prize throughout the continent.
He explained that the prize, which is intended to recognize and encourage literary excellence, has a monetary value of $20,000.00 for the winner.
Prof. Okai said as part of the preparation towards the award ceremony in Accra, Dr Ogochukwu Promise, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, and Mr Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the Foundation’s Advisory Chairman, paid a curtsey call on PAWA in Accra.
He said they discussed issues relating to Ghana’s hosting of the ceremony, the role of other stakeholders and PAWA’s mandate as partner.
Prof Okai commended the foundation for its work, especially in the rural mobile library sector, which has increased access to reading and the collaboration between the foundation and some educational institutions in Nigeria. He said PAWA would work to ensure the success of this worthy event in Accra as Ghana hosted the 2014 event.
Dr. Promise disclosed that since the institution of the award in 2005, the foundation had seen entries jump from 87 to 415 in 2010 from 26 African countries.
He said the 2012 Awards Ceremony was attended by over 1,000 disgnitaries and four former heads of state including Ghana's ex-President John Agyekum Kufour as guest in Nigeria.
A South African journalist, Sifiso Mzobe, won this year’s award with his book: “Young Blood”.
