Omanghana
Former Second Lady Hajia Samira Bawumia has urged young Ghanaian writers to preserve African storytelling traditions by giving folktales new life for future generations.
Speaking at the third Samira Bawumia Literature Prize Awards Ceremony and Literary Night in Accra on Friday, November 6, 2026, she said writers have an important role in protecting the stories that reflect Ghana’s history, values and identity.
“If we don’t tell our story, who will?” she asked.
Mrs Bawumia, who is the founder and chief patron of the prize, encouraged emerging authors to draw inspiration from traditional stories while making them relevant to the experiences of young readers today.
Reimagining folktales
The ceremony, held under the theme “Reimagining African Folktales for the Next Generation,” brought together writers, performers and literary enthusiasts to celebrate Ghanaian creativity.
Mrs Bawumia said young writers could help ensure that stories passed down through generations remain accessible to children in a changing society.
She also encouraged children at the event to develop an interest in reading and writing, expressing hope that some would become authors celebrated at future editions of the awards.
Thirty writers honored
Thirty young Ghanaian writers received awards for their work in fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The recipients were presented with cash prizes, certificates and other honors.
Mrs Bawumia said the winning entries would be published in an anthology, giving the writers an opportunity to reach a wider audience.
Organizers said interest in the prize had grown from 1,629 entries in its maiden edition to more than 3,000 submissions from across Ghana’s 16 regions in the latest edition.
Expanding access to books
The former Second Lady also highlighted the Library in a Box project, an initiative of the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects.
She said the project had distributed more than 500,000 books to schools without libraries across Ghana to promote reading and improve access to learning materials.
Celebrating African voices
Master of ceremonies Apiorkor Seyram Ashong-Abbey also stressed the importance of African writers telling their own stories and sharing their experiences with the world.
The literary night featured a spoken-word performance by Mohammed Jawad Baba Dua and a musical performance by Ghanaian rapper Okyeame Kwame.
The Samira Bawumia Literature Prize supports emerging Ghanaian writers through literary competitions, workshops and opportunities to publish their work.
Source: Omanghana
