The Gambia: Award-Winning Gambian Author to Launch His Book and Unveil His Award

His novel, Don’t Judge The Book By The Cover, recently won the 2021 IAAAS African Literature Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the One Africa Award for Fiction in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Mr. Sowe’s debut play, The Throne of The Ghost, has been a bestseller and has collected a swathe of awards including the IAAAS African Literature Award 2021, the World Writers Association 2020 Award, and National Reading Hero 2019. It has been translated into several languages. 

This event is an organized world-class dedicated series of educational undertakings, gravitating around ‘’African literature, knowledge, & international relation for personal & professional growth of education stakeholders. Under the guidance of Prof. Chinedum Igwe and Dr. Wale Okediran, the author examines evaluative practices in the creative industries by exploring the processes surrounding the misconception of reading and literacy in Africa. They describe the editorial choices made by different scholars as ‘creatively poignant’ and the author as a ‘writer of genuine talent’. Their study draws upon ethnographically rich case studies of The Gambia to reveal the broad range of factors guiding and inhibiting poor readership associated with problems of literacy and education in The Gambia.

For the first time in the history of Gambian literature, the Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association ( PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran; accompanied by Prof. Chinedum Igwe, Executive Director of the International Association of African Authors and Scholars (IAAAS), Atlanta, Georgia, USA; together with Prof. Anita Diop, Executive Director of the African Roots Heritage Foundation, Detroit, Michigan, USA; with Prof. Denja Abdallah, Former President of Nigerian Association of Authors (ANA) -- with other prominent and distinguished guests/authors/scholars will be visiting The Gambia for the launch of Don’t Judge The Book By The Cover written by Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe. The book launch and unveiling of the award of excellence for African literature slated for 7 January 2022 at Ebunjan Theatre, Kanifing, The Gambia.

Notable guests from abroad, government officials, members of the press and media, high-profile international authors and scholars, and book enthusiasts will be in attendance.

Keynote Speakers:

1. Hon. Bakary Y. Badjie, Minister of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS),
2. Hon. Yankuba Darboe, Commissioner General, Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), and;
3. Hon. Halifa Sallah, a Scholar and Politician.

Invited Guests Coming From Abroad:

1. Prof. Chinedum Igwe, Executive Director, International Association of African Authors and Scholars (IAAAS) -- ATLANTA, USA,
2. Dr. Wale Okediran, Secretary-General, Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) -- ACCRA, GHANA,
3. Prof. Denja Abdallah, Former President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) -- LAGOS, NIGERIA,
4. Prof. Anita Diop, Executive Director, African Roots Heritage Foundation -- MICHIGAN, USA,
5. Prof. Abdou Sacor Mboup, President, Young Writers Association of Senegal (AJES) -- DAKAR, SENEGAL; and;
6. Ms. Azeb Yoseph Ambachew, Executive Director, One Africa Pen Warriors Organization for Development (OAPWOD) -- ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.

Panelists, Book Reviewers, and Guest Speakers from The Gambia:

1. Hon. Louis Moses Mendy, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE)
2. Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, Politician and Party Leader, Citizens Alliance
3. Dr. Cherno Omar Barry, President, Writers Association of The Gambia (WAG),

4 Hon. Ousman Touray, Pan-Africanist and Statesman,

1. Mr. Hassoum Ceesay, Director General, National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC), and;
2. Mr. Wuyeh Drammeh, US-Based Gambian Author.

RSVP: modoulaminsowe1@hotmail.com, or contact: +220 7791631/5951978