By David Wulff Vanderpuije
The rich vein of African writing by luminaries, like Wole Soyinka almost seems to belong to a bygone era. So who are going to step into their gigantic literary shoes? Read about Deborah Ahenkorah’s agenda.
Remember where you saw the name Deborah Ahenkorah, for this is a young, upwardly mobile woman going places . Read on and know more about her dream and vision to rekindle literary fires in Africans and unearth the latent talents to fill the gapping void for African authors.
FILLING THE AFRICAN LITERARY VOID
There is an absence of glamorous Pulitzer Prizes and Whitbread prizes for literary achievements as pertain to other continents. These prizes have been known to jumpstart literary careers and give the winners the vital lifelines of recognition and publishing contacts. Sponsorship of prize money by corporate Africa has been disproportionately skewered towards Sport and Beauty Pageant to the sad neglect of Literature!
Alas, with the demise of the popular Heinemann African Writers Series by the Oxford University Press there has been a dearth of African literary output to fill the gigantic shoes of their illustrious forebears: a roll call of names like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Ayi Kwei Arma, Ferdinand Oyono, John Pepper Clark and and others too numerous to mention cut their literary teeth and made their reputation with the African Writers Series.
As a young girl growing up in Accra, Ghana, Deborah was a regular fixture at her local library, voraciously reading the story books on offer. But while she lost herself in the adventures of ‘The Famous Five’, and devoured her way through ‘Nancy Drew, and ‘The Hardy Boys’, Deborah realized that when it came to children’s literature by Africa writers, she had few reference points.
The Golden Baobab Prize (formally known as the Baobab Prize) takes its antecedents from another remarkable achievement by Deborah: Project Educate in Africa (PEIA), which she founded whilst a student in at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, USA. The object of PEIA was to organise book drives and fundraisers to support libraries in Africa. Most, if not all, of the books donated to be shipped to Africa were by western authors.
Though the initiatives being championed by PEIA was a noble one, Deborah, on critical reflection has an eureka moment when she came up with the idea of literature to fill the gap that she had identified as a child: the lack of African-themed stories for children. She yearned to unearth African writing talent for Africa and the rest of the world by, ‘’encouraging African writers to write stories for children and young readers through a competition and publish an Anthology of winning entries’’. This epiphany was to become the gem of the idea that has now become the Golden Baobab Prize: ‘’I realize this concept had a limited scope so I expanded it to an annual competition which will be a conveyor belt of hot, off-the-press talent’’
WHO IS AN AFRICAN WRITER?
Deborah speaks in glowing terms of Rama Shagaya, an alumnus of Mawr and Harvard Business Scholl, for mentoring her, and putting hands to the plough with her to realize the launch of the Golden Baobab Prize in 2008-2009 as an annual contest open to all African writers, with submissions of African-themed children’s stories. Apropos of the Golden Baobab Prize, an ‘African writer’ is someone who was born in Africa or who is a national of an African country, or whose parents are from Africa, and whose work reflects that cultural background. The entry received falls into two categories: for readers aged 8-11 year and 12-15 years.
The GBP also recognizes a ‘Promising Young Writer’ under age 18. All of the winners are awarded. All of the winners are awarded cash prizes and get thev opportunity to network with interested with interested publishers. Indeed, in testimony to the fulfilment of the vision, the two winning stories of the inaugural year, lauri Kubuitsile’s ‘Lorato and her Wired Car’, and Ivor Hartmann’s ‘Mr Goop’, have been picked up by children and young adults based in SouthAfrica. Hartmann’s ‘Mr. Goop’ wowed judges with its depiction of an Africa in an apocalyptic post-climate change world change world in which the future is unclear. Yet within this gloomy uncertainty of life in which laboratory-created humanoid life-form are slaves to human, twelve year –old Tamuka lives with the same hopes and dreams of any boy his age, whilst he takes his first tentative steps into adulthood. Kubuitsile’s ‘Lorato and her Wired Car’ is an endearing story of a young girl’s attachment to a wired car which she built and lovingly decorated herself, making her the envy of all the children in her village. But as the character Lorato discovers, the important lessons of life are sometimes learnt through the vehicle of play.. In both these stories there is a brilliantly composed tapestry themes thatare at once familiar and comforting, fused with new ideas and possibilities that require you to simply let your imagination flow, and trust that you in the hands of master storytellers.
RECOGNITION
In a continent overflowing with colour and diversity, the stories to tell are many; stories seared with beauty and yearning, happiness and sorrow, hope and rebirth. The Golden Baobab Prize is a recognition of these stories that espouse the creativity, passion and rwa possibilities of the African continent and judging by the calibre of entries received in its inaugural year, is a resounding confirmation of the prodigious storytelling power of people from varied backgrounds.
The aim of the Golden Baobab Prize is to make African literature accessible to young readers. It is the noble objective that has won respect and support from an impressive advisory board that includes world-renowned Ghanaian Author and Playwrite, Ama Ata Aidoo, and Patrice Nganang, the winner of the Grand Prix Litteraire de L’Afrique Noir, as well as international organisations such as the Global Fund for Children, the Africa Library Project and Bryn Mawr College. Not bad for a young dreamer, eh?
The Golden Baobab Prize is a refreshing call to African writers to rise up and tell the stories of their continent; to write stories that are entertaining, brave and hugely imaginative. We await the time when a trip to any bookstore worldwide will reveal a plethora of books extolling African writing talent, with many of the authors, being Golden Baobab Prize winners The winner of the 2011 Golden Baobab Prize will be announced at a grand and maiden , televised Golden Baobab Prize Ceremony at a prestigious location in Accra, Ghana.
THE GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE SEEKS SPONSORSHIP
Deborah has shown that she is not short of dreams and is no slouch either when it comes to translating into reality. What the Golden Baobab Prize needs more than ever now is a massive shot in the arm by way of sponsorship to propel it to strategic heights in its quest to stratospheric heights in its quest to do the African continent proud by showcasing her literary talents.
Corporate sponsors this is your opportunity to buy into the Golden Baobab Prize vision. Any takers out there to partner?
The benefits of sponsorship are timeless and prizeless. A work of literature stands the test of time neither can you put a price on the publicity mileage.
Interested Corporate bodies who want want to bask in the golden halo of the Golden Baobab Prize should please contact:
Deborah Ahenkorah:
Deborah@goldenbaobab.org
Website: www.goldenbaobab.org
Facebook: The Golden Baobab Prize
Twitter: http:/twitter.com/baobaprize
THE GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE AT A GLANCE
1. The Golden Baobab Prize is an African 1. literary award established in July, 2008 to encourage the writing of African literature for children and young adults.
2. Eligibility criteria : The GBP invites entries of unpublished short stories written by African writers irrespective of age, race or geographical location. An ‘African writer’ is someone who was born in Africa, or who is a national of an African country, or whose parents are from Africa, and whose work reflects that cultural background.
3.Prize Categories
Best story written for ages 8-11 years – S1000
Best story written for ages 12-15 years – S1000
Most promising writer under 18 – S80
Vision
To identify the African literary giants of the next generation, and produce classic African stories that will be appreciated for years to come.
CULLED FROM ghanalinks DIRECTORY 2010-2011
A Learning Resource Publication For All Things Ghanaian
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