Golden Baobab Represented At Africa Writes Festival

This year, Golden Baobab had a significant figure converging at this year's Royal African Society's annual Africa Writes Festival which featured its advisory board member, novelist, playwright, and academic, Ama Ata Aidoo.

According to Zahrah Nesbitt-Ahmed, a 2014 Golden Baobab Prize for African Literature evaluations team member, quote, “I was fortunate enough to attend Africa Writes with Ama Ata Aidoo - it was one of those situations where you cannot believe you are in the same room and listening to her speak. She is so funny and at the same time seemed like a strong woman who speaks her mind - it was one of those things that I will always remember.”

Davida Wulff Vanderpuije, who provides Public Relations support for Golden Baobab was also present at the event. We bring you her perspectives on the 2014 Royal African Society's annual Africa Writes.

1. Africa Writes is an annual event, do you attend often?
This year was my second time at Africa Writes. I first went in 2013.

2. What made this year's event special to you?
Making new connections with people in literary circles, and running into familiar faces from the previous year. The festival is such great ground for stimulating conversations about the ever expanding boundaries of writing from/about the continent.

3. What was your impression of Ama Ata Aidoo's interview with waGoro?
This segment was the highlight for me. I was in enthrall of Ama Ata Aidoo's verve and engaging personality. She spoke with feeling about each of her works, including an anecdote on how people still haven't forgiven her for the death of Anowa. As an interviewer, my personal opinion is that waGoro did not make the most of the broad scope of questions she could have asked AAA. The segment was interspersed with a docu-film on AAA (shot by YabaBlay), and it seemed to me some of her questions had already been addressed by AAA in the film, thus we could have benefitted from other perspectives not covered by the film. In fact, to some of her questions, the witty AAA told her people could easily Google that, confirming to a certain extent, the feeling that parts of the conversation were 'wasted' on questions we already knew answers to. However, AAA more than made up for it.

She was introduced as a 'living literary legend' by waGoro, and appreciative laughter and applause from the audience say we all agreed. From the moment AAA started to speak, it was obvious we were in the hands of a master storyteller, taking us on the journey of her early life and school days in Wesley Girls High School, to the body of works and teachers who fuelled her passion for writing. Naturally, the WGHS old girls in the audience hooted delightfully with a most unladylike sound at the mention of our great school (or maybe that was just me..:-) In all, it was a great conversation, leaving us feeling like time flew by too quickly and it was over before we knew it.

4. What were the effects of seeing Ama Ata Aidoo, a Ghanaian, on that platform being interviewed by waGoro?
I had a very proud moment, because this was the main event of the entire festival. For me, it was the double draw of having not only a Ghanaian, but a leading author whose protagonists have often been women who make radical choices and defy traditional gender roles at that. As she reflected on the main themes of her works of fiction, I got a real sense of her heart and work for the empowerment of women, and it was inspiring to see.

5. What are some of the impacts you think such events will make on the literary scene in Africa?
Africa Writes is fertile ground for showcasing established and emerging talent from Africa and the diaspora, so it brings the knowledge of these writers to a wider audience. The festival has become a big celebration of contemporary African writing that is expanding and pushing new boundaries.

This bodes well for the literature scene in Africa. African writers are diverse in their approach to telling their stories, and challenging the very notion of 'African literature'. This is exciting for the continent and its diaspora because we get the benefit of the rise in genre fiction and the development of different narratives. Crucially, it challenges us to be the authors of our own stories.

It was a real delight when Davida came into contact with the 2013 winner of the Early Chapter Book Prize, Ivor Hartman. Answering the question on how the two of them connected at such a big event, Davida responded:

He was a panelist on a segment titled 'Imagining Future Africa' which discussed the impact of innovation and technology on African sci-fi, speculative and fantasy writing. This was a bold discussion on a genre that writers on the continent are engaging with as they imagine their own futures. After the talk, I approached Ivor and introduced myself in connection with Golden Baobab.

6. Any concluding remarks?

I'm looking forward to the time when Golden Baobab pitches camp at Africa Writes.

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