Do you recall what you were like
at ten years? I do. I wished I had long hair like my Sindy doll. The Five Star sibling
music group of three sisters and two brothers was my favourite and I was the
fastest runner in my class. I should mention that I was absolutely loved to
read and write. Enid Blyton probably had a lot to do with that.
In 2019, the BN Poetry Award,
which I began ten years ago, is celebrating ten years. It’s wildly crazy. The
idea popped into my head like many of my noble ideas. I couldn’t keep still;
spoke to a few of my close friends who knew better than to stop me when I was
running with such high energy. I was like a circus clown on steroids. If you had met me then, you’d understand why
celebrating ten years is so important to all of us; in this space of poetry.
Beverley and Rebecca Kadaga in August 2009 at the first BN Poetry Award-Giving dinner.
Beverley and Rebecca Kadaga in August 2009 at the first BN Poetry Award-Giving dinner.
The award began, as a way to
motivate Ugandan women into sharing their poetry to other Ugandan readers,
lovers of poetry and hopefully, through a cash prize, these Ugandan women would
feel encouraged that their poetry was valuable.
I started sending out calls for
submissions. And guess what! People actually responded. This is what happens
when you run with an idea that’s so important that you’d sell off your house to
make it work. True Story! I sold my laptop to cover some of the costs. The
first laptop I’d ever owned; an IBM, durable and magical.
The Ugandan women. Yes. I sent
out the calls for submissions and as a first prize, was ready to offer $250. No
one had done it before. I was as certain as anything that Ugandan women poets
were at their prime of writing and just needed a platform to share their
verses. The submissions came in as I started reeling out a plan. It was time to
select a judges’ panel. Hilda Twongyeirwe, Iga Zinunula and Susan Kiguli, whom
I knew tremendously well, and had participated in numerous literary events with
them. I also knew that they would buy into this untamed spirit of mine.
The BN Poetry Award, which by the
way, was named after me, Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award, was gathering the
interest of curious by-standers, some of whom relished the thought of a poetry
prize and others who were waiting for me to fall flat on my ridiculous face.
The media caught wind of it and I found myself answering calls for interviews
and sitting before distinguished panels, sharing the idea of the award. When
the judges unanimously decided upon their winner, Lillian Aujo, it was time to select
a date and venue for this poetry award giving ceremony.
I had just left my well-paying job, sold my lavish car and had no money at all. I was also a new mother, a pivotal point that spurred me into making lasting memories and worthy legacies. What I had, stirring inside of me like molten lava, was priceless.
Word Alive Publishers
Sophia Aniku (Emcee)
I had just left my well-paying job, sold my lavish car and had no money at all. I was also a new mother, a pivotal point that spurred me into making lasting memories and worthy legacies. What I had, stirring inside of me like molten lava, was priceless.
Word Alive Publishers
Sophia Aniku (Emcee)
Contacting a few colleagues whom
I had worked with before, I sent them proposals to support this grand
award-giving dinner. Word Alive Publishers, based in Kenya, Uganda Health
Marketing Group, Gilgal Media Arts and Uganda Clays Limited, each contributed
financially towards the dinner, scheduled for Friday 21 August, 2009 at Fang
Fang Restaurant. Femrite was my unofficial office at the time. I jotted down a
guest list and threw a few names for Chief Guest. None was deemed worthy enough
until I thought of Rt. Honourabe Rebecca Kadaga. At the time, she served as the
Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament.
On receiving the call from her
office that she would be more than glad to officiate at the ceremony, made me
almost run around Kampala town like my feet were lit by burning charcoal. Like
I said, I was a clown on steroids.
That dinner was the most marvellous
literary event I had ever attended in my entire life. I was at the edge of my
seat the entire evening just trying to hold it all in. The faces staring back
at me; a reflection of a dream come true. The Deputy Speaker of Parliament
right beside me like we were colleagues. Academics, publishers, CEOs of leading
organisations, my family and friends. All of them.
Lillian Aujo, very first winner of the BN Poetry Award
Lillian Aujo, very first winner of the BN Poetry Award
Rebecca Kadaga mentioned that she
had received so many invitations for that date, 21 August, but the idea of the
Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award, was so intriguing that she just had to turn down
all her other invitations. There were over one hundred guests that sat in the chilly
evening listening to the story of the Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award, who
applauded Lillian Aujo, Catherine Kemigisha and Sophie Alal, the top three
winners of this award. Over a hundred people, some of them from The New Vision
and Daily Monitor, who retold the story and continue to retell it today.
We’re celebrating ten years. We
have to. We invite you to join us.
On 26 January, there shall be a
Luganda poetry workshop, first of its kind at 4Reign Office at Equatoria Hotel
Lower Parking. The fee is only 50,000/- per individual and we have some of the
most sought after Luganda poets, who shall facilitate. Lule Ssebo Lule, whose
Luganda works have been published and Nakisanze Segawa, the latter who is a BN
Poetry awardee.
From 21-24 March, we shall be in
Kabale, holding our first festival of the year. Meeting students of Kabale
University to train, perform and dialogue, launch books and spread the work of
poetry from Kampala to beyond.
At Sipi Falls, 2018.
In the ten years, we have
published three poetry anthologies, A Thousand Voices Rising, Boda Boda Anthem:
A Kampala Poetry Anthology and When Children Dare to Dream. We have organized
four successful poetry festivals and held poetry in nature excursions from Mt.
Rwenzori, Mabira Forest and Sipi Falls, This year, it’s Lake Bunyonyi in
Kabale.
At Mbale Secondary School, 2018.
All photos by Prophix Studios
All photos by Prophix Studios
Thanks to the individuals,
organisations, financiers, media, social groups and the communities in the
diaspora that have held our hand. We Thank you.
Find us here at www.babishainiwe.com
Email us at babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com