The Second Lady Samira Bawumia has said the youth must to own their own narrative and tell the Ghanaian story through writing.
Samira made the call when her NGO, the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), hosted multiple award-winning writer, Chigozie Obioma, at a writers’ seminar at the ISSER Conference Hall of the University of Ghana in Accra last Thursday.
“It is imperative that we own our own narratives and tell our own stories ladies and gentlemen. There is a real danger of losing out on the varying perspectives as Ghanaians, especially through our written stories. Especially if we are not the ones who are documenting them and sharing them. So, my dear students, let us explore the world through creativity of your writing,” she said.
Samira added: “There is no greater joy than telling a story and sharing a perspective which is uniquely yours, keep writing and sharing your own stories.”
The seminar was on the theme, “Breaking through the global literature space; a conversation on the art and business of the writing craft”.
The day’s seminar forms part of activities under the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize, a writing contest began by SEHP in 2020 to create and support a nurturing environment for young writers across Ghana.
About SEHP
The Samira Empowerment & Humanitarian Projects (SEHP) is a not-for-profit organisation established with the purpose of empowering the underprivileged in Ghana through diverse social intervention projects to improve lives.
Read Full Remarks Below
It is a pleasure to have you all here this afternoon. I would like to thank you for joining us today on this
journey to expand our knowledge, hone our writing skills and hopefully inspire some of us to begin our
writing journey. As a passionate advocate for reading, writing and the art of storytelling, today’s writing seminar is part of activities under the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize (SBLP) which is committed to supporting the
promotion and celebration of those of us in the literary space.
It is my great pleasure to introduce today, two internationally accomplished writers – Chigozie Obioma and Dr. Martin Egblewogbe. They would besharing with us their experiences on their writing journey, and the lessons and strategies they have
utilised along the way. The Samira Bawumia Literature Prize (SBLP) is an annual literary prize that seeks to create a nurturing and supportive environment for young writers to develop, grow, and highlight their literary skills.
It also provides opportunities and serves as a launchpad for Ghanaian writers to share their talent with the world.
Launched in 2019, where over One Thousand Six Hundred (1,600) entries were received. Out of this, thirty (30) selected winners were provided with cash prizes and books, with the top 3 winners of each category receiving books, cash prizes, and laptops.
This year marks the second edition of the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize. The quality of entries has been remarkable, and we have been impressed with the number of entries. This gives me a lot of hope for the art of writing, and literary space in Ghana for younger generations.
The importance of writing and the art of storytelling cannot be overemphasized. Writing is an essential skill;
it is a craft that takes dedication and commitment. It is one of the primary basis upon which learning and
intellect can be assessed and accessed. Writing among other things, equips us with communication and thinking skills.
Ladies and gentlemen, the theme for today “Breaking Through the Global Literature Space; A Conversation on the Art and Business of the Writing Craft” has been carefully selected to reflect the aspirations of the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize (SBLP). The goal is to provide aspiring Ghanaian writers with the platform and tools to share their works with the world.
Our approach at SBLP is to, showcase, by publishing the works of our shortlisted writers, train as many writers as possible, and raise interest and awareness within the space. The winning submissions of our first edition were published in the celebrated anthology, All Ghana a Stage. We look forward to publishing the winning entries of this year’s submission in our next anthology next year.
Our approach to training writers is the reason why we are gathered here today. In selecting our guest speakers
and the theme for today, we were guided by the need to produce Ghanaian writers whose stories are compelling
and capture the attention of audiences within the country and beyond its boundaries. Both Chigozie Obioma and Dr. Martin Egleworgbe will engage us on how to write captivatingly and what to look out for when approaching any literary and creative writings.
In line with my dedication and passion for education, my not-for-profit organisation the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP) focuses heavily on education related projects. So far as part of our Literacy and Educational Projects, the Library-in-a-Box Project which is aimed at providing access to books and encouraging reading as well as learning amongst pupils in Ghana has distributed over two hundred thousand (200,000) books
to sixty-five (65) basic schools across the country.
The Basic Education Certificate (B.E.C.E) Revision Project provides final year Junior High School students across Ghana with resource packs to aid in the preparation of their final examination. As part of the project, teachers are trained on the use of the study aids, improving their lesson notes, and enhancing their instructional methodologies and approaches. Since 2019, eight hundred and eighty-three (883) Schools in twenty-five (25) Districts across the country have benefitted from the project.
It is imperative that we own our narratives and tell our own stories. There is a real danger of losing out on the
varying perspectives of 'Ghanaian-ness', especially through our written stories; especially, if we do not document and share them.
My dear students, let us explore the world through the creativity of your writing works. There is no greater joy
than telling a story inside you or sharing a perspective that is uniquely yours. Keep writing and sharing your
stories. The life of the contemporary African in the 21st century and our place in the global village must be told.
Nobody can or must tell our stories better than we should.
I wish to thank all those whose contributions made this day possible particularly: our guest speakers Chigozie
Obioma and Dr. Martin Egblewogbe; the Vice Chancellor Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo who is ably represented by the Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Rosina Kyerematen; and the Head of the English Department Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Agyemang.
I wish to also thank my hardworking SEHP team for their efforts in ensuring the success of this event.
I would also like to acknowledge Manasseh Azure Awuni and Dr. Kwame Osei Poku for their support. I leave you with the words of our special guest speaker Chigozie Obioma “That story, as all good stories, planted a seed in my soul and never left me.” It is my hope that the lessons you take from today’s event plant in you, invaluable lessons on your writing journey.
Thank you all for coming.
