The Tell Your Own Story Literary Awards 2018 were hosted at the Lusaka University, Lusaka, Zambia on Saturday April 21, 2018.
The Tell Your Own Story Literary Awards were founded in 2015 from the radio show “Tell Your Own Story” that runs on UNZA Radio that features on Zambian literary activity. The awards, an initiative of Concept Developers Initiatives through its partnership with Unza Radio, were meant to facilitate in the growth of the reading and writing culture in Zambia. Since then the awards have featured dozens of authors, publishers, book reviewers and also institutions promoting the reading and writing culture in Zambia.
This year the partners of the awards were Southern Writers Bureau, Unza Radio, Zambia Association of Literacy, The Agency, Ambassador Wine Zambia, Sula World Enterprises and The Wishbox Technologies.
Speaking at the award ceremony founder of the Tell Your Own Story Show and Director for Concept Developers Initiative Gift Casmic Phiri said “This is the journey, we have just started, we must therefore begin to appreciate our local authors because just writing the word ‘The’ on a piece of paper means a lot. Authors even if your English is broken, just write it for it will get better with time, and Zambia can read, Zambia can write and Zambia can sell. It all starts with us, before we get to begin to export our local books.”
The 2018 edition of the awards saw 32 books nominated in the 10 categories of Book of the year, Best fiction, Nonfiction, Short Story collection, Religious, Memoir, Upcoming, Poetry, Legendary and Best motivation. Those who won at the awards were;
- Best Book – Bare Breasts: The Untold Story of a Zambian Journalist, David Kashiki.
- Best Fiction – The Coloured Vine, Ingrid Nayame.
- Best Fiction – Unmasked, Joe Sakala.
- Best Upcoming – Tales From The Zambezi, Peter Mukuma.
- Best Poetry – Tears in a Suitcase: Poetry for the Soul, Pamela Gondwe.
- Best Memoir – Soaring on a Wing, Chijika Ngonga.
- Best Religious – The Prophetic Principles of an Eagle, Pastor Lewis Shikapwasha.
- Best Motivation – The Dreamer’s Journey: How to Hold on to Your Dream and Never Abort It, Moses Samusunga.
- Best Nonfiction – I Am Africa, Mwilah Chriseddy Bwanga Jr.
- Best Legendary – Inside the Presidency: The Trials & Tribulations of a Zambian Spin Doctor, Dickson Jere.
Joining the stars of the evening were the guest of honor Zambia Textbook Academic and Nonfiction Authors Association Chairman Professor Kasanda Sichalwe, University of Lusaka Dean of the School of Education and Technology Daniel Bowasi, and the Zambian Association of Literacy director Ambassador Shuko Mark Musemangezhi.
Here are images from the night in Lusaka courtesy of the event organisers. The images were all taken by Ali Nafe.
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