The Chronicle
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
BULAWAYO-based authors, Mthokozisi Ncube and Takudzwa Masapa are ready to take Zimbabwean literature to new global heights after being nominated for the 5th African Annual Global Honoree Authors Awards and the Mulher Forte African Literature Awards respectively.
Over the years, the African Annual Global Honoree Authors Awards event has honoured 463 continental authors. Anthea Thyssen, the founder and host of this year’s awards will oversee the honouring of 150 African authors on July 31 in Johannesburg. The ceremony will be held under the theme, “Unlock the truth in Africa – The pen warriors in Africa”.
Mthokozisi Ncube, an author, and poet affectionately known as Imbongi Yabantu is elated that his anthology, Still I hope has been nominated for the awards.
“I’m happy that my work is getting recognition. When I saw an opening for book submissions for the awards, I decided to submit my book, Still I hope. I’m happy and humbled as a patriotic citizen to actually represent my country on the continental stage,” he said.
Ncube is also set to be honoured for his contribution to the anthology, “EARTH PoeTree Collection 2022” where he submitted one of his poems, “Pollution”. The EARTH PoeTree Collection is a call to people to take good care of their environment.
Locally, the author has been nominated for the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards 2021 (Outstanding Ndebele Literary work), National Arts Merit Awards 20th edition (Outstanding Poetry Category), Plumtree Cultural Arts Awards 2022 (Outstanding Poetry Category) and this year’s Amaqhawanentaba Music Awards (Best Author Category).
Takudzwa Masapa on the other hand is already a recipient of the Global African Honoree Authors Award. He has penned books including “Your Guide to Elite leadership” as well as “Whosoever wants to be great”.
He will be representing Zimbabwe in the second edition of The Mulher Forte African Literature Awards 2022 under the Motivational books category.
Masapa’s inclusion in the award ceremony has made him, “over the money with happiness.”
“This is a marvelous opportunity for me and I’m over the moon with happiness. Getting shoulder to shoulder with some of the elite African authors is a good thing for my career and I’m looking forward to winning one for the country.
“I feel encouraged to continue penning the African narrative. The nomination proves beyond doubt that indeed, there’s nothing impossible with God and nothing is impossible if you have faith in yourself,” Masapa said.
Besides Zimbabwe authors from Tanzania, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, South Sudan, Zambia, Uganda, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Angola Swaziland, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, will be part of the competition.
The announcement of The Mulher Forte African Literature Awards winners will be done on October 30, 2022, in Botswana and they will be awarded certificates of recognition. – @eMKlass_49
Article Source: The Chronicle