Brittle Paper has unveiled the recipients of its 2024 African Literary Excellence Awards, celebrating key players across various sectors of the African literary scene.
The recipient of the African Literary Person Award for 2024 is Othuke Ominiabohs, popular in the African literary space as the founder of Masobe Books, a Nigerian publishing house. Ominiabohs uses Masobe Books as a launch pad for visionary publishing ideas, giving many African writers a place to thrive and a platform through which their voices can be heard. Since its inception in 2018, Masobe has signed 117 authors, published over 100 titles, and sold more than 100,000 copies.
The Publisher Of The Year Award is Mkuki Na Nyota, a Tanzanian publishing house known for its dedication to indigenous language publications and the promotion of African cultural heritage. Through its work, Mkuki na Nyota continues to give local writers a global platform, ensuring the preservation and growth of African narratives.
Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie was crowned the Children’s Literature Advocate Of The Year. Faloughi-Ekezie made a daring move on the writing scene by pushing for neuro-divergency representation in Children’s Literature. She is a remarkable public speaker and author of several books, the first of which featured a character with Down syndrome.
Book Dash, a South African non-profit publisher, was honored as Platform of the Year. The organization has distributed millions of books to children across the continent, promoting literacy and fostering a love for reading. With over 211 published books and 566 translations, Book Dash continues to make books accessible by hosting creative hackathons where teams produce quality children’s books within 12 hours.
The Social Media Influencer Of The Year is none other than Anthony Ikechukwu Chielo. Chielo is a passionate storyteller and booktoker known for his outstanding book review videos. His reviews connect readers with African narratives in a way that is modern, unique, and interesting. Chielo has gone to great lengths to bring life to his reviews by driving over 581 kilometres to review Chigozie Obioma’s A Road To The Country in Abia state. He also filmed a review for Fatima Bala’s Halal: Not a Halal Story in the national mosque in Abuja.
The African Literary Awards aren’t your everyday literary recognitions. They applaud writers and novels that have extraordinary narratives but have one signature twist. The Brittle Paper believes that it takes a village to raise a child and the importance of support systems cannot be downplayed. For this reason, the award bridges a vital gap by honouring all the heroes that keep the publishing world alive and functional. These unique individuals include editors, social media influencers, agents, etc.
The Brittle Paper is committed to “Celebrating the village behind the book.” It recognises not only writers and authors but also the people working backstage to make sure that creatives have everything they need to tell their stories.
Click here to learn more about the African Literary Excellence Award
Congratulations to all the winners for their remarkable contributions to African literature and storytelling!
