Secretary General of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran, has been conferred with the Kwame Nkrumah Award for Service to Pan-Africanism, earning recognition as a “literary statesman of continental renown” for his decades of work promoting African unity through literature.
Thank you for reading this post; don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
The award was presented during the 14th Toyin Falola International Conference on Africa and the African Diaspora, highlighting Dr. Okediran’s contributions to what organisers described as “African unity, literary excellence, cultural preservation, and the intellectual emancipation of our people.”
News of the honour has resonated across West Africa’s literary community, with the Writers Association of The Gambia leading continental congratulations through a letter from its president, Dr. Cherno Omar Barry, dated July 11, 2025.
“This recognition is not only richly deserved, but it is also a fitting tribute to a life devoted to the ideals of African unity,” Dr. Barry wrote, praising Dr. Okediran’s leadership of PAWA as having “inspired generations of writers across the continent and beyond.”
The Kwame Nkrumah Award, named after Ghana’s first president and Pan-African icon, recognises individuals who embody the values of “integrity, commitment, and service to African progress” – qualities that Dr. Barry said are “deeply etched into” Dr. Okediran’s life and work.
Under Dr. Okediran’s leadership, PAWA has emerged as a powerful voice for African literature, working to amplify writers’ voices across the continent and strengthen literary networks from Nigeria to The Gambia. The association has played a crucial role in what Dr. Barry described as “affirming the power of the written word in shaping our collective destiny.”
Dr. Okediran’s work through PAWA has been instrumental in creating platforms for these emerging voices.
Dr. Barry’s letter highlighted the cross-border impact of Dr. Okediran’s work, noting that the Gambian literary community has benefited from his “continued support and solidarity.” He described Dr. Okediran’s leadership as “a beacon of Pan-African consciousness” that has contributed to the “social, political, and cultural advancement of African nations.”
Dr. Okediran’s work through PAWA continues to focus on what Dr. Barry called “the noble journey ahead” of African literary and cultural development.
The congratulatory message from The Gambia showcases the continental nature of Dr. Okediran’s influence, with Dr. Barry concluding, “May your pen remain ever mighty in the service of Africa.”
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: http://bit.ly/3I7mQVx
Or scan the QR code:
