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The Adinkra Poetry Prize 2024 calls for poetic expressions on culture, politics, and change
In a celebration of Ghanaian culture and heritage, The Adinkra Poetry Prize is excited to announce its call for poetry submissions that engage with three selected Adinkra symbols out of the over 200 existing symbols.
The focus for this year includes Fihankra, Nkyinkyim, and Mate Masie. Esteemed preliminary judges for this edition are Emma Ofosua, Apiorkor, and Ko-jo Cue. The head judge for the prize is Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy.
As we approach the upcoming election year, The Adinkra Poetry Prize invites interested people to offer words that surprise, excite, frustrate, and incite change.
They are looking for poetry that serves as a song for change, a chant, a prayer, a potential new national anthem, or guidelines to hold Ghanaians accountable to the cause of the nation and its citizens, “exploring the complexities of love or criticism for our relationship with our beloved nation.”
Writers are encouraged to submit their poetic expressions, with each poem responding to or thoughtfully engaging with the chosen Adinkra symbols within the context of Ghana’s current political and socio-economic landscape.
The competition is open to writers aged 18 and above who are Ghanaian citizens currently residing in Ghana.
The 2024 Adinkra Poetry Prize is generously supported by the Center for Humanities at the University of New Hampshire, the Mellon Mays Foundation, and the All African Women Poetry Festival.
For the prizes, winners in each category will receive $200, and three (3) Finalists will be awarded $70.
Finalists and winners will be officially announced in May 2023 and will be invited to an awards ceremony at the prestigious All African Women Poetry Festival.
Additionally, finalists will also have the opportunity to apply for the WaterMill Residency. Selected submissions will be considered for publication in a digital anthology.
For the written submissions, the writers will be asked to transcribe their work for publication.
Applicants should note that the committee reserves the right to withhold awards based on the quality of submissions.
As part of the submission guidelines, an applicant is expected to submit a maximum of three (3) poems per submission, with each poem directly or indirectly identifying the chosen Adinkra symbol, and limit one submission per person; additional submissions will not be considered.
Poems may vary in length, style, or subject but must incorporate the chosen Adinkra symbol and its meaning.
Organisers have urged participants to exclude any identifying information from the submission document and submit unpublished poems only.
“Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please inform us if your work is selected elsewhere.For any inquiries or questions, please email [adinkrapoetryprize@gmail.com].
Submission Guidelines (Spoken Word): Submit a recorded poem (video) not exceeding 1 minute, with each poem identifying the chosen Adinkra symbol you are responding to. Avoid including your name in the recorded video,” they added.
Deadline for submission is February 15, 2024.
The Adinkra Poetry Prize eagerly awaits thought-provoking and inspirational poetry submissions in celebrating Ghana’s rich cultural heritage through the power of words, and let your voice be heard as we shape the future of our nation together.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
