Writers’ association honours 28 for excellence
The Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) rewarded 28 writers and contributors for their distinguished contribution to literature at the fourth Literary Awards in Accra last Saturday.
A veteran journalist and lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Mawuli Adzei, won four awards — three in the competitive category and a meritorious award.
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Dr Adzei, who is a former board member of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), took away the Ama Ata Aidoo Prize in the Short Story Category and the Atukwei Okai Prize in Poetry and came second in the Ayi Kwei Armah Prize in the Novel Category.
Another former board member of the GCGL, former President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and columnist of The Mirror newspaper, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, also won the Kofi Awoonor Award in the Creative Non-Fiction Category with her work: “Conversations with my Father”.
She was also presented with the Achievement Award, as was Dr Adzei, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to literary works and arts in the country.
Other winners
Other award winners in the 12 categories were Ms Ruby Yayra Goka, who received the Ayi Kwei Armah Prize in the Novel Category and the Efua Sutherland Prize in the Children’s Story Book Category; Ms Selassie Mensah — Young Writer (not more than 25 years); Godwin Asare — Efo Kodzo Mawugbe Prize for Drama (staged), and Ohene B. Dankwa — Kwesi Brew Prize for Children’s Poetry.
Professor Kofi Anyidoho, an academician, presenting the Kofi Awoonor Award in the Creative Non-Fiction Category to Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari
The rest were 80-year-old Seth Y. Akafia — Abbam Prize for the Ghanaian Language Special Award, with his book: ‘Ku le Xome’, and Christopher Asare-Boriba — Josphus Anamuah-Mensah and Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey Prize in Science and Mathematics Textbook Writers Special Award.
Pobee Mwintombo’s ‘Cold Stories’, which won him the Kofi Anyidoho Prize for the Spoken Word (video/audio), was an invitation to treat, as it gave him the opportunity to perform his spoken word ‘My Cry’ on stage, a chance he grabbed and performed to thunderous applause.
In the end, 11 literary arts achievement categories were recognised. The 12th, Script Writing (video/audio), did not receive any recognition because the assessors said the entries did not merit an award.
As part of their prizes, each winner took home a one-year life insurance cover provided by Millennium Insurance Limited.
Prof. Kofi Anyidoho (left) of the University of Ghana presenting an award to Mr Pobee Mwintombo
Purpose of award
Put together by the GAW, the awards scheme seeks to bring together all writers, including persons interested in writing and creators of literary works in Ghana, under one umbrella to foster the development of good literature in Ghanaian and foreign languages.
It also aims at protecting and advancing the interests of Ghanaian writers.
Definition of Ghanaian
The veteran journalist and politician, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, congratulated the award winners and urged writers and those engaged in literary work to go beyond the ordinary and define who a Ghanaian was.
"This is because it is only the writer, the honest and sensitive craftsman, who will bring out this Ghanaian, this creature we can all identify with,” she added.
The former Editor of the Daily Graphic also expressed the hope that bringing out who the Ghanaian was might help in the drawing up of a national development programme, saying: “Who knows, you might be able to come up with what works in trying to get our streets clean because you will be able to tell better what works for the Ghanaian and what does not.”
Effective communication
Ms Ohene also said producers of literary work must be wary of the use of the spoken and written forms of the English language.
"If we are writing in the English language, it seems to me we should make an effort to understand and speak it and write it well.
At the moment, I don't think that is happening.
It is not happening in many, many levels... I think we should make an effort to learn to speak it and write it well," she added.
A Development Economist, Mr Kwame Pianim, also challenged writers to convert some of their literary works to audio and movies, as the world was currently in the digital age, saying that currently the youth preferred listening and watching to reading.
He congratulated the writers on their continued efforts at liberating Ghanaians and people of African descent.
Excellence
The President of GAW, Mr Francis Gbormittah, said the event was for the celebration of excellence and achievement, especially “when you are recognised by your peers”.
“We are committed, as an association, to providing an atmosphere for excellence and giving due regard to our values as writers, which the shortlisted winners of the 2019 awards have exemplified,” he added.