The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), under the new leadership of Dr. Wale Okediran from Nigeria has just held a writers’ conference to echo the June 1962 Makerere Conference of African Writers of English Expression. The Conference which was held in Nigeria at the renowned University of Ibadan was attended by writers from over 40 countries. In his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Ibadan University – the host – Prof Kayode Adebowale underscored the importance of the Academia in building democratic states and decolonising the African continent. Indeed, during those days, universities played a critical role in strengthening
political and social consciousness of the African people.
Some of the Participants at the conference included: Ade Wede Wee-wee Kekuleh from Liberia, Koumealo Anate – Togo, Richard Ali – Congo – Kinshasha, Monique Cheru – Zimbabwe, John Rusimbi – Rwanda, Kabaji Egala – Kenya, Moses Kainwo – Sierra Leone, Cherno Omar Barry – Gambia, Lucille Mudenda – Zambia, Fatima Mashoud – Niger, Carlos Paradona – Mozambique, Oyono Imela & Facely II Mara – Equatorial Guinea, Camillus Chuma – Nigeria, Angula Ndjembo – Namibia, Chikumbutso Ndaferankhande – Malawi, Ashraf Aboul & Baseim Abdelazeim – Egypt, and Fatih Hamadto – Sudan, Bios Diallo – Mauritania, Macaire Etty – Cote D’ivore, Aden Hassan – Djibouti, Cathbert Zuberi – Tanzania, Paschal Bekolo – Cameroun, Joseph Butoyi – Burundi, Sylvanus Bedzrah – Ghana, Eric Joel Bekale from Gabon and Hilda J. Twongyeirwe – Uganda. Other countries represented included Ethiopia, Morocco, Tunisia, Chad, Botswana, Benin, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Angola and Algeria. The conference was also attended by academicians such as Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo, Dr. Vicky Silvester, and many others especially from Nigeria and Ghana.
The 1962 conference was the first African Writers Conference of its kind and it has remained a landmark and reference point in the history of writing and literature in Africa. The conference was sponsored by the Congress for Cultural Freedom and the Mbari Club in association with the Department of Extra-Mural Studies of Makerere, whose director at the time was Gerald Moore. The conference was attended by writers who today form Africa’s top writers’ list; Nobel Laureate in Literature Wole Soyinka, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Okot p’Bitek, Pio Zirimu, Robert Serumaga, David Rubadiri, Jonathan Kariara, John Pepper Clark, Obi Wali, Gabriel Okara, Christopher Okigbo, Bernard Fonlon, Frances Ademola, Cameron Duodu, Kofi Awoonor, Ezekiel Mphahlele, Bloke Modisane, Lewis Nkosi, Dennis Brutus, Arthur Maimane, Rajat Neogy, Grace Ogot, Rebecca Njau, and Langston Hughes.
The major challenge that was debated at Makerere was the African writer and the dilemma of language. Sixty years later, the main concern of the Ibadan writers’ conference was: The Pan African Writers’ Agenda for peace, security and cultural development. This comes in the wake of political unrest and civil wars in many parts of Africa. The Guest of Honour, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in his Keynote speech urged writers to use their pens to weave narratives that will help to build critical thinking skills especially among young people so that they are not taken advantage of by war and insurgency-mongers. The speech was read by Hon. Seye Oyeleye, Director General – Development Agenda for Nigeria. In a related speech, Mr. John Rusimbi the President of PAWA urged writers to use their writing as a tool to strengthening the African culture, building bridges across cultures and forging gender
equality.
In his remarks, Dr. Wale Okediran, the General Secretary of PAWA, thanked the Ford Foundation Nigeria, The University of Ibadan, the Nigerian Academy Of Letters (NAL) and the Association Of Nigerian Authors(ANA), for funding and supporting the conference which run from 24the to 25th June 2022.
Other Activities held included a Book Exhibition, an evening of readings and performances at the Wole Soyinka Theatre and an Awards Dinner Night where over 15 Writers and 12 Patrons of the Arts received recognition awards for their contribution to the growth of literature in Africa. 2 of the 27 awardees were women. From the exhibition and the awards night, it is clear that that African women remain in a disadvantaged position compared to their male counterparts. This means therefore that there is need for more deliberate effort and actions to bring them to a more competitive position.
Mr. John Rusimbi from Rwanda was elected President of PAWA Council at the General Assembly, the first, in 30 years of the association’s establishment. The assembly was held during the conference. Others on the Council are: Prof Koumealo Anate, Dr. Wale Okediran, Prof Kabaji Egara, Ms. Oyono Imela, Ms Monique Cheru & Mr. Fatih Hamadto. A Constitution Review Commission was also constituted to review the constitution which has not been reviewed since establishment 30 years ago. The team comprises; Dr. Cherno Omar Barry from Gambia, Hilda Twongyeirwe from Uganda, Mr. Eric Joel Bekale and Carlos Paradona from Mozambique.
And finally, I got to taste Palm Wine, the most talked about drink in Nigerian literature. It is important that governments tap into the potential of arts and culture to uplift cultural tourism and diplomacy.
Twongye'wanderings 