The Africa Institute, Global Studies University (GSU), Sharjah has revealed the awardees of the third cohort for the Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship. The writers, in order of placement are:
- Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
- Rémy Ngamije
- Amil Issa Shivji
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, born in 1968 in Nairobi, Kenya, is an acclaimed author of novels, short stories, and essays. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story Weight of Whispers. Owuor studied English at Kenyatta University, followed by an MA in TV/Video development at Reading University and an MPhil in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland, Australia. A former executive director of the Zanzibar International Film Festival, she has contributed to various international publications, including Kwani? and McSweeney’s. Her story The Knife Grinder’s Tale was adapted into a short film, and she has also contributed to the anthology New Daughters of Africa (2019)
Rémy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian writer and photographer. He won the Africa Regional Prize of the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize and was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2021 and 2020. He is the founder of the Doek Arts Trust, an arts organisation which publishes Doek! Literary Magazine, the country’s first literary magazine which he co founded and serves as editor-in-chief. His work has been supported by the Civitella Ranieri Foundation and the Miles Morland Foundation and has been featured in literary festivals in Accra, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Berlin, and Basel.
Amil Shivji, born in 1990 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is a filmmaker known for addressing misrepresentations of Africa and neocolonialism in his work. With roots in Zanzibar, the island often serves as inspiration for his films. Before starting his filmmaking career, Shivji worked as a journalist and radio host. He is the founder of Kijiweni Productions and Kijiweni Cinema. Shivji’s early short films, Shoeshine (2013) and Samaki Mchangani (2014), gained international recognition at festivals such as Rotterdam and FESPACO. His feature debut, T-Junction (2017), premiered at the Zanzibar International Film Festival, followed by Vuta N’Kuvute (Tug of War) in 2021, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
During their residency in Sharjah, the selected writers will benefit from extensive resources, mentorship, and an inspiring environment. The Africa Institute is dedicated to nurturing their artistic growth and will support the publication and dissemination of their work through its publications program.
The Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship was established to honour the late Nigerian professor’s contributions to African literature and critical theory. It aims to support exceptional writers from Africa and the diaspora, offering each recipient a 45,000 AED grant and a three-month residency to develop their creative projects.
For more information on the award, kindly click here.
Congratulations Owuor, Ngamije and Shivji on this big feat!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
