COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE PAN AFRICAN WRITERS ASSOCIATION AT THE END OF ITS CONFERENCE AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON JUNE 24 AND JUNE 25 2022 RESPECIVELY AT THE CONFERENCE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA
Introduction:
The Conference and the General Assembly of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) took place at the Conference Centre of the University Of Ibadan, Nigeria, on June 24 and 25, 2022.
While the Conference on June 24, 2022 under the Theme, LITERATURE SINCE MAKERERE 1962; The African Writers’ Pan African Agenda For Peace, Security And Cultural Development, which was held in collaboration with the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) and the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), was open to the public, the General Assembly on June 25, 2022 was restricted to PAWA delegates from national writers’ associations.
The General Assembly, which would be the first to take place in 28 years, was attended by national writers organisations from Liberia, Togo, Congo, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Zambia, Niger, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Egypt, Sudan, Mauritania, Cote d’Ivore, Uganda, Gabon, Cameroun, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Chad, Benin, Guinea, Burundi and Mali.
Apologies were received from national writers’ organisations from Somaliland, Djibouti, South Africa, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Angola, Tunisia and Lesotho.
The General Assembly (GA) commenced with a symbolic one-minute silence in honour of the departed former PAWA Secretary General, Professor Atukwei Okai, for his meritorious achievement during his time in office.
Professor Okai had earlier been recommended for a Post-humous Noble Patron of the Arts Award by the PAWA Council.
PAWA also conferred the Noble Patron of the Arts Award to 13 distinguished African leaders while 11 outstanding writers received the Esteemed Patron of the Arts Award in appreciation of their support to PAWA.
During the GA, the interim Secretary General, Dr Wale Okediran, gave his report, followed by an audited Financial Report presented by the PAWA Accountant, Mr Louis Mensah.
After exhaustive and highly intellectual discussions at both the Conference and General Assembly, the following decisions were taken:
1. Appreciation to the Government of Ghana for effectively hosting the PAWA Headquarters in Accra, Ghana, for the past 30 years.
2. Appreciation to the Ford Foundation, MTN Nigeria, McArthur Foundation, UBA Nigeria, the NAL, ANA and all those who made the Conference and General Assembly a success.
3. PAWA remains committed to the following ideas and principles:
a. The defence of freedom of expression for all Africans and the material and spiritual interests of African writers and their associations.
b. Promotion of literacy and the eradication of illiteracy in Africa.
c. The encouragement of the inclusion of African literary works in the curriculum of educational institutions.
d. Promotion of African languages and the translation of African literature into African languages
e. The promotion of research into recording and retrieving of lost or undiscovered African heritage whether on the continent, in the Diaspora or in museums and libraries of the world.
f. The promotion of peace and understanding in Africa and the world through literature.
g. Inclusion of literary activities for young writers in all PAWA’s activities.
4. The urgent need for governments of African countries to fulfil their financial obligations to PAWA in order to enable the association to actualise its mandate as laid down by its founding fathers.
5. PAWA COUNCIL
The following writers were elected as members of the PAWA Council for the next three years:
a. Hon John Rusimbi (Rwanda) – President
b. Dr Wale Okediran (Nigeria) – Secretary General
c. Mr Mustapha Hamadto (Sudan) – Vice President (North Africa)
d. Madam Imela Oyono Anyigono (Equitorial Guinea) – Vice-President (Central Africa)
e. Prof Koumealo Anate (Togo) Vice-President (West Africa)
f. Prof Egara Kabaji (Kenya) – Vice-President (East Africa)
g. Ms Monica Mpambawashie (Zimbabwe) – Vice-President (Southern Africa)
6. MEMBERS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
As part of strategies to strengthen the association, the following members were appointed into the Constitutional Review Committee for a period of six months:
a. Mr Eric Joel Bekale (Gabon) – Chairman
b. Mrs Hilda J Twongyeirwe (Uganda)
c. Mr Baseim Abdelazeim Abdelkader (Egypt)
d. Dr Cherno Omar Barry (Gambia)
e. Prof Egara Kabaji (Kenya)
f. Mr Carlos Paradona (Mozambigue)
SIGNED:
Hon. John Rusimbi (President)
Dr. Wale Okediran (Secretary-General)
