Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - #2016 Budget funding of "Pan African Writers Association"

Thanks, Bolaji,

The problem seems to be that this is not a legacy payment. Below is a response from Dr. Wale Okediran, Past president of the Association of Nigerians Abroad (ANA).

"PAWA is actually the creation of the African Union (former OAU) to which Nigeria is a signatory. Each country member is expected to pay an annual due. From my investigation, Nigeria has not paid any contribution since the inception of PAWA in 1989. The N208m in the 2016 budget is therefore to clear the backlog of unpaid contribution by Nigeria and not an annual contribution."

One clarification, PAWA is NOT a creation of the OAU. The PAWA website makes it very clear that it is not a creation of the OAU, but got support from the OAU and UNESCO. There is no legal requirement by Nigeria to pay this body any thing. I would hope that lawyers vet these line items.

I have asked Dr. Okediran more questions:

Why would Nigeria pay a backlog? For what purpose, I wonder? Don't you think this is a lot of money given our circumstances? What is the benefit of us being in this organization? Do you know how many countries are members of PAWA? What is the annual contribution? What do we get in return? Do you happen to have a list of the officers and contact email?

 

In response he has given me the address of PAWA's Secretary General, Prof Atukwei Okai who may be reached at PAWAHouse@gmail.com. I have copied him on this email in case he has supporting documents that show that Nigeria is legally obligated to pay these dues.

Whatever....

- Ikhide

 

Stalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/

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From: Mobolaji Aluko <alukome@gmail.com>
To: USAAfrica Dialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Cc: "Ederi@yahoogroups.com" <ederi@yahoogroups.com>; krazitivity@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2015 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - #2016 Budget funding of "Pan African Writers Association"

Ikhide:

Although I support that ALL legacy payments be scrutinized by the PMB administration, it appears that this PAWA payment is "trapped" in some Pan-African agreement:

QUOTE

http://www.panafricanwritersassociation.org/about

With OAU and UNESCO's support, the Constituent Congress of PAWA was held at the Kwame Nkrumah Conference Centre, Accra from 7th – 11th November, 1989 under the theme:  "African Unity; A Liberation of the Mind." Representatives from over 36 countries formally signed the Declaration and Constitution that led to the establishment of PAWA.

THE DECLARATION

"Convinced that literature is the testimony of the people's creativity and that it has a determining influence on national conscience and development for the political and socio-economic liberation of the continent.

"Anxious to contribute to the revalorization of African cultural identity, and putting a spurt on Panafricanism and the struggle against all forms of racial discrimination.

"Conscious, thus, of the necessity for co-operation between African Writers and the world in order to break the language barriers and  to  promote the different cultures on the continent by developing them,

- Conscious of the necessary defence of the legitimate rights, especially, the right to freedom and promotion of writers by an independent and autonomous organisation, the melting pot of dialogues and cultures, and - committed to promote world peace through literature".

 

The Conference of African Ministers of Education and Culture, meeting in Coutonou, Benin, in 1991, made a resolution to the effect that an International African Writers' Day be celebrated in all African countries and in the International community each year, on 7th November, the birthday of PAWA.  This will afford the African people a moment of pause within which to reflect on the contribution of African Writers to the development of the continent.

The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), a leading Pan African Cultural Institution accorded, full Diplomatic Status by the Government of Ghana in 1992, is made up of the 52 National Writers Associations on the continent, and seeks to contribute its quota to moral, cultural and intellectual renaissance in Africa. Indeed, it is to play the role of being an important voice of the African, while seeking to restore to our people, confidence in themselves as African and reinforcing the vision for a Common African Home.

 

The aims and objectives of the Association shall be as follows:

To provide a forum for all writers of Africa and those of African origin:   

To seek and vigorously defend freedom of expression for all Africans and the material and spiritual interests of African writers and their Association;

To promote literacy and to eradicate illiteracy in Africa:

To encourage the inclusion of African literary works in the curriculum of educational institutions:

To promote African languages and the translation of African literature into African languages:  

To promote research into recording and retrieving lost or undiscovered African heritage whether on the Continent, in the disaspora or in museums and libraries of the world:

To stimulate co-operation between PAWA and Writers' organizations of the world:

To promote peace and understanding in Africa and the world through literature:

To establish a continental African Publishing House

To provide wider avenues for the publishing of African Literature      

To establish an effective distribution network:

To establish Pan African Journal:

To ensure the protection of the works of African writers through the appropriate copyright laws and agencies:

To institute continental literary awards:

To organise programmes to promote Pan African literary excellence.

UNQUOTE

More importantly,  according to Association of Nigerian Authors ANA of which I presume you are a member, in 2015, its President Remi Raji's score-card 2011-2015, has, inter-alia:

QUOTE

http://ana-nigeria.com/?q=association-of-nigerian-authors-our-scorecard-by-remi-raji#sthash.glhKGQFw.dpuf

• On May 4, 2015, ANA endorsed the film adaptation of Wale Okediran's novel, Tenants of the House, stating that the project will "contribute to the enhancement of the nation's cultural and tourist potentials".   

• ANA introduced two new literary prizes, viz: the Maria Ajima Prize for Literary Criticism, and the Abubakar Gimba Prize for Short Stories.   

• ANA national executive committee supervised the state conventions that led to the election of new state executive councils in some state chapters including Lagos, Ogun, Imo, Abia, Oyo, Niger, Abuja, Nasarawa, Benue, Edo, Delta, Ebonyi, Bayelsa and Zamfara.   - 

• Represented by its Vice President, Alhaji Denja Abdullahi, ANA formally renewed its cooperative ties with PAWA, the Pan African Writers Association, based in Accra.   

• ANA secured a grant of 40,000 USD from PAWA. PAWA released the grant in recognition of ANA's commitment to the growth of literature in the country.

UNQUOTE

And there you have it.

Bolaji Aluko

On Wed, Dec 30, 2015 at 12:41 PM, 'Ikhide' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Ilo Facebook,

Apparently, the 2016 Budget includes this curious item:

PAYMENT OF COUNTRY CONTRIBUTIONS TO PAN - AFRICAN WRITERS ASSOCIATION (PAWA) 208,000,000

That is an annual contribution of close to $1 million for a relatively unknown writers' association. It seems steep. And why is the Federal government footing the bill? I googled PAWA and came up with this site. I wonder what ANA or anyone has to say about this. Just curious.

http://www.panafricanwritersassociation.org/

- Ikhide

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