Daily Graphic columnist receives GIBF top award
An author and columnist of the Daily Graphic, Lawrence Darmani, has been honoured by the Ghana International Book Fair (GIBF) as the GIBF Personality of the Year.
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He received the award at a ceremony in Accra at the sixth edition of the annual celebration.
The event was part of the 21st edition of the annual Ghana International Book Fair. The GIBF Personality of the Year is an honour initiated in 2018 to celebrate personalities who have contributed to literary works and cultural activists with an interest in books and who have made an impact in the book industry in Ghana and beyond.
Mr Darmani, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Step Publishers, is a renowned Ghanaian author whose work has made significant contributions to African literature.
He is the author of “Grief Child”, “Commentary on the Cockcrow”, “God Bless Our Homeland Ghana”, “Blood Invasion”, “Choices”, “First Term Surprises”, “Second Term Expectations”, “Third Term Challenges”, “Long Vacation Encounters” and “Entertainment Night” among other books.
Indeed, there are more than 30 books in his name, some of them in the form of series.
His literary career took off in 1991 with the publication of his debut novel, "Grief Child".
The novel, which poignantly explores the life of a young boy dealing with loss and resilience, received critical acclaim.
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"Grief Child" won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book, bringing international recognition to Mr Darmani and establishing him as a significant voice in Ghanaian literature.
Ceremony
The 90-minute ceremony featured poetry recitals, a video documentary of the awardee and a 30-minute live interview with him.
In the end, Mr Darmani expressed his utmost appreciation for the honour, describing his passion for language, creative writing and narration.
He said he was honoured, albeit modestly, that his works had been judged to have impacted society positively.
He said it was a good thing for the recognition of books, writing, and literature as cultural artefacts, and the promotion of reading for national development.
Career journey, exclusive club
From Ghana through Kenya to Mali and Senegal, Mr Darmani was immersed in the rich oral traditions of culture, igniting his passion for storytelling.
These early influences were said to have shaped his literary voice, blending traditional narratives with contemporary themes.
He is credited for his contributions to the promotion of reading and literacy, along with a prolific writing career thought to have inspired countless individuals.
The honour of Mr Darmani put him in a common league with a handful of renowned authors and predecessor recipients of the prestigious award.
He succeeds the Country Director of UNESCO Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo, who received the revered award in August last year.
Before Mr Diallo, veteran publisher in Ghana and Africa, Chief Executive Officer of Sub-Saharan Publishers, Akosua Ofori-Mensah, and author, cultural activist and President of the African University College of Communications, Kojo Yankah, had received the honour in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
Poets and Pan-Africanists, Prof. Atukwei Okai and Prof. Kofi Awoonor were jointly handed the award posthumously as the first recipients in 2019 before Prof. Kofi Anyidoho, also a poet, author and lecturer, became the second recipient of the award in 2020.
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