User talk:Ywagg/sandbox

The Gambia Prize for Literature


The Gambia Prize for Literature is a Gambian literary award given annually to honor literary erudition by Gambian authors. The award rotates among eight genres; Fiction, Gambian Literature, Poetry, Non-Fiction,  Spoken Word Poetry, Drama,  History, Children's Literature  and Emerging Young Gambian Writers. The GAMBIA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE is presented at the Kunta Kinteh International Book Festival (KKIBF), now in its 1st year, a project of the Young Writers’ Association of The Gambia (YWAG), and over the last few years has become one of the flagship projects in the association’s overall strategy and perspective of creating an annual literary festival in the Gambia.

The festival is an annual literary, artistic, cultural, and creative arts event that was founded by Gambian writer [[Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe]], and, takes place in The Gambia every year. It is the biggest literary award in The Gambia and one of the youngest literary awards in the world. It brings together new and established writers from across the Gambia to promote, develop and celebrate creativity on the African continent in various genres. Unlike the Open Mic Festival and the Janjanbureh Kankurang Festival, the book festival is the Gambia's biggest annual gathering of literary writers, book lovers, editors, critics, and readers.

The festival in October 2022 included an exhibition of Gambian books, a hall of fame for Gambian literature, autographing of books, keynote addresses, spoken word poetry, drama, and musical performances. We discovered that The Gambia is home to many talented young people in the fields of arts, education, literature, theater, and poetry.

History
The Inaugural Prize was established in 2022 and sponsored by Alliance Francaise Banjul and The French Institute of Senegal. However, the process and judging are administered by The Young Writers Association of The Gambia with an advisory board made up of members from the Writers Association of The Gambia and the National Centre for Arts and Culture.

The Longlist for The Gambia Prize for Literature 2022
(The YWAG Prize for Gambian Literature)


 * Tijan M. Sallah - I Come From A Country
 * Baaba Sillah - CLOSURES
 * Suwaibou Conateh - Blind Destiny
 * Ebou Dibba - Chaff on The Wind
 * Nana Grey-Johnson - The Magic Calabash
 * Lenrie Peters - Satellites
 * Sheriff Samsideen Sarr - Meet Me in Conakry
 * Ramatoulie Kinteh - Rebellion

(The Dr. Tijan Sallah Prize for Gambian Poetry)


 * Momodou Sallah - The Dictator and The Heretic
 * Alassan Njie - The Guidance
 * Juka Fatou Jabang- The Phoenix
 * Rohey Samba - Heart Songs
 * Wandifa Samateh - Mother Gambia under the Microscope
 * Marabi S. Hydara - Break of A New Dawn: An Anthology of Poems
 * Awa Badara-Joof - Flow

(The Gabriel J. Roberts Prize for Gambian Drama)


 * Sir Charles Sarr Thomas - The Memorandum
 * Janet Badjan-Young - Hand of Fate
 * Ramatoulie Kinteh - Rebellion

(The Ebou Dibba Prize for Gambian Fiction)


 * Momodou Sawaneh - Dangerous Love
 * Ramatoulie O. Othman - Costly Prices
 * Sally Sady Singhateh - The Sun Will Soon Shine
 * Musa Bah The Scribbler - The Midnight Call
 * Marie Caroline Gomez - The Helpers
 * Cornelius Gomez - The Chameleon and The Hare
 * Famara Fofana - Road To My Village
 * Aisha Jawara - The Oath Must Be Fulfill As Promised
 * Adam Nyang - Agonies and Misfortune
 * Ismaila Saidybah - Sins of A Father
 * Rohey Fofana - Finding of A Lost Heart
 * Modou Lamin Kejara - Fatou and The Dictator
 * Kebba Landing Sonko - The Children of A Storyteller
 * Joseph Henry Joof - The Will
 * Yankuba Mamburay - The Search for A Lost Brother
 * Ebou Gaye - Fake Love
 * Essa S. Colley - If I Am Right Or Wrong
 * Raki Jalow- Sallymata
 * Lamin B. Fatty - Amina My Jewel
 * Essa Bah - Dynamic Cultures and the African Child
 * Dayo Foster - Reading The Ceiling

'''(The Baba Sillah Prize for Non-Fiction) '''
 * Wuyeh Drammeh -- This Way From America
 * Saikou Camara - Africa Through A Mirror
 * Ebrima B. Sawaneh - Passed: 12 Proven Secrets to Pass Any Professional Exam at the First Sitting
 * Jeggan Senghor - Assan Musa Camara Servant of The People
 * Cherno M. Njie - Sweat in Invisible In The Rain
 * Alhassan Suso - The Light of Darkness
 * Seedy Drammeh - Contribution Of Corporate Governance, Effective Leadership, HR Management and Networking, To The Advancement Of People & Institutions.
 * Demba Ali Jawo - A Date With Destiny
 * Alhagie Yoro Jallow - Delayed Democracy: How Press Freedom Collapsed in Gambia: A Proposition for Research in the Gambian Journalism History 1965-2013
 * Ebrima Ismaila Chongan - The Price of Duty
 * Jabez Ayodele Langley - Pan-Africanism and Nationalism in West Africa, 1900-1945: A Study in Ideology and Social Classes
 * Ebrima Sall - Women in Academia. Gender and Academic Freedom in Africa
 * Musa E. Jallow - Across the Scenes
 * Cherno Jatta - Sin and Blackmail
 * Yaya Sillah - Why Do Good People Suffer?
 * Nyada Yoba Baldeh - Education Made The Difference
 * Lang Fafa Dampha - African Migrants
 * Abdoulaye Saine, Ebrima Ceesay and Ebrima Sall - State and Society in the Gambia Since Independence: 1965 - 2012
 * Hassan Bubacarr Jallow - Journey for Justice
 * Sulayman S. Nyang - Islam, Christianity and African Identity
 * Lamin E. Sanneh - The Jakhanke: The History of an Islamic Clerical People of the Senegambia (African Ethnographic Studies of the 20th Century Book 58)
 * Baba Galleh Jallow - The Graveyard Cannot Pray
 * Amina A. Sillah - Hope is not Dead
 * Hadime Jah - Africa Endangered by Dictatorships

(The Momodou Sabally Prize for Spoken Word Poetry)


 * Omar Champion Cham
 * Cherno Gaye
 * Fatoumatta A. Jallow
 * Jainaba Touray
 * Mentor Boye
 * Poet Sidibeh
 * Adama Mboge
 * Abdoulie Cham
 * Abdallah Jaiteh
 * Bintou Sanneh
 * Genius Janha
 * Aji Oley Samba
 * NK
 * Aminatta Nanko
 * Saffiyah Joof
 * Muhammed Sidibeh
 * Aji Ndumbeh Jobe
 * Kebba Mbye
 * Nas Jobis
 * The Brain Poet

(The Dr. Ralphina D' Almeida, Nee Philott Prize for Gambian History)


 * Hassoum Ceesay - Patriots: Profiles of Eminent Gambians
 * Bala Saho - Contours of Change: Muslim Courts, Women, and Islamic Society in Colonial Bathurst, the Gambia, 1905-1965 (African History and Culture)
 * Patience Sonko-Godwin - Ethnic Groups of the Senegambia Region: A Brief History
 * Dr. Mariama Khan - Africa History and Culture
 * Dawda E. Faal - A History of the Gambia: AD 1000-1965
 * Dr. Florence Mahoney - Creole Saga: The Gambia's Liberated African Community in the Nineteenth Century

(The Nana Grey-Johnson Prize for Emerging Writers)


 * Mariatou Bah - A Mysterious Village
 * Fatoumatta Bayo - The Sorrows of A Stepmother
 * Mam Isatou Jobe and Lena Eunice Akua Jatta - Love From Two Different Worlds
 * Awa Divine Bojang - Arrows of Wisdom
 * Kawsu Sanneh - Tribal Grudges
 * Alasana Jatta - The Adopted Child
 * Basiru Jallow - The Next Stop is Not The Destination
 * Haddijatou Jobe - Successful Dreams
 * Momodou Jarju - Picking Up the Pieces
 * Fatoumatta Jallow (Toufa) - The Woman Who Inspired An African #MeToo Movement
 * Batuly Jallow - The Healer of The Village
 * Babucarr Jobe - Rights and Beyond
 * Sanusi Camara - Call Me Abou

Past recipients
(The YWAG Prize for Gambian Literature 2022)
 * Male: Dr. Tijan M. Sallah
 * Female: Lady Augusta Jawara, aka Ramatoulie Kinteh, posthumous

(The Dr. Tijan Sallah Prize for Gambian Poetry)
 * Male: Dr. Momodou Sallah
 * Female: Dr. Juka Fatou Jabang

(The Gabriel J. Roberts Prize for Gambian Drama)
 * Male: Sir Charles Thomas
 * Female: Janet Badjan Young

(The Ebou Dibba Prize for Gambian Fiction)
 * Male: Musa Bah
 * Female: Sally Saidy Singhateh

(The Baba Sillah Prize for Non-fiction)
 * Male: Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow
 * Female: Dr. Amina A. Sillah

(The Momodou Sabally Prize for Spoken Word Poetry)
 * Male: Omar Champion Cham
 * Female: Jainaba Touray

(The Dr. Ralphina D’ Almeida, Nee Philott Prize for Gambian History)
 * Male: Hassoum Ceesay
 * Female: Patience Sonko- Godwin

(The Nana Grey-Johnson Prize for Emerging Writers)
 * Male: Sanusi Camara
 * Female: Fatoumatta Bayo

Four other supplementary awards were given to:

1. Gambian youth Pan-Africanist, Ousman Touray, as the Distinguished Youth Personality of The Year 2021- 2022;

2. Hon. Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General, GRA, as Award of Honor for Eminent Personality in National Development;

3. Africell Gambia Limited, Award of Honor for Eminent Company in National Development; and:

4. Ms. Justine Guschlbauer, DG, Alliance Francaise Banjul, Award of Honor for Eminent Personality of The Year 2022

Context
Adoption of The Gambia Prize for Literature (GPL), by Decision A/JAN.7/01/19 establishing the criteria and procedures for the award of the Gambia Prize for Literature.

Goal
Officially launched the Kunta Kinteh International Book Festival as a perpetual rendezvous to commemorate the relevance of Gambian literature and Gambian cultures worldwide in Africa and the African diaspora. Specific Objectives


 * Increase awareness and appreciation of Gambian literature by looking at pragmatic ways of empowering and rendering them relevant to the lives of Gambians;
 * Publish the proceedings of the roundtables in a book as a reference for the reconsideration of the indispensable role of Gambian literature in Africa’s integration, the maintenance of sustainable peace and development;
 * Contribute to the promotion of readership and authorship skills for a wholesome book society.
 * Reiterate in the minds of Gambians the place of books and other instructional materials in the area of educational advancement in the country.
 * Establishing an active book market with economic potential for social development using book fairs as a platform.
 * To foster intercultural and interfaith dialogue initiatives in promoting the culture of peace and social justice through literature.

Categories of The Award

 * The YWAG Prize for Gambian Literature
 * The Dr. Tijan Sallah Prize for Gambian Poetry
 * The Gabriel J. Roberts Prize for Gambian Drama
 * The Ebou Dibba Prize for Gambian Fiction
 * The Baaba Sillah Prize for Non-Fiction
 * The Momodou Sabally Prize for Spoken Word Poetry
 * The Dr. Ralphina D' Almeida, Nee Philott Prize for Gambian History
 * The Nana Grey-Johnson Prize for Emerging Writers

Note: plans are to expand the categories of the prize as time goes on.

Value of the Prizes
For the inaugural prize in 2022, all winners will receive a glass trophy and a plaque. Plans are to include cash prizes next year.

In addition to the cash prize, each winner receives a plaque and/or a certificate of recognition or honor.

The Jury
The jury shall be composed of seven (7) members, the majority of whom are Gambian citizens, and whose integrity, respect, and dignity are recognized. The jury, which shall take into account the gender and linguistic representativeness of the Writers Association of The Gambia (WAG), should include at least one staff member of the NCAC partner institutions or structures.