Last night, Cassava Republic Press, founded by Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, secured the prestigious CANEX Prize for Publishing at the 2024 CANEX WKND in Algiers, Algeria. The award was bestowed upon the company for their groundbreaking novel, Female Fear Factory, which explores how fear is weaponised to control women’s bodies across the globe.
The book, authored by feminist scholar Pumla Dineo Gqola, unpacks the mechanisms of patriarchal violence, examining how fear is used as a tool for subjugation. Drawing examples from Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and beyond, Gqola illustrates the insidious ways in which women are coerced into fear through everything from street harassment to legal restrictions. The novel challenges readers to confront these deeply ingrained societal constructs while offering a hopeful vision for feminist action.
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf expressed her immense pride in the Cassava Republic team, saying, “Publishing African stories and shining a light on narratives like Female Fear Factory is the Lord’s work. We aim to amplify the voices of African authors and confront global issues like patriarchy that transcend national boundaries.”
Founded in Abuja in 2006, Cassava Republic Press has offices in both Nigeria and London. The publisher has long been committed to transforming global perceptions of African writing, providing a platform for diverse African experiences in fiction and non-fiction.
The CANEX Prize, sponsored by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with Narrative Landscape Press Limited, celebrates excellence in African publishing. The top prize of $20,000 is awarded to the best trade book published in Africa, with the goal of promoting the African book value chain. Finalists also receive $2,000 each. The 2024 award ceremony took place on October 18, 2024, as part of the CANEX WKND event.
Cassava Republic’s win underscores the publisher’s significant role in pushing African literature to the forefront of global discourse.
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