IHRAM African Secretariat
The International Human Rights Art Movement has two offices in Africa. The first, and oldest (since 2020) is run by Wole Adedoyin, President of the Society of Young Nigerian Authors, the IHRAF African Secretariat, based in Ibadan, Nigeria, uses the IHRAF values of beauty, sincerity, vulnerability, engagement and celebrating diversity to run creative programming around issues of concern throughout Africa.
The second, based in Kenya, is run by Grace Suge, IHRAF International Fellow in 2022, as well as IHRAF published writer and award winner.
We are always looking for more passionate, committed and creative activists in Africa to open further offices!
Together, we partner with our African offices to highlight human rights defenders and sponsor contests to continue raising awareness of the struggle for human rights in Nigeria, Kenya and around the African continent, as well as the hurdles they face in terms of corruption, police brutality and the government's sometimes indifference to the rights of its citizens.
Wole Adedoyin, Director, IHRAF African Secretariat, Nigeria
Grace Suge, Director, IHRAF African Secretariat, Kenya
IHRAF African Secretariat News:
African Spoken Word Contest
The African Spoken Word contest received 31 passionate entries from countries around Africa, and Africans living in the diaspora. The winners and honorable mentions were announced in late November, 2023. Click on the title to hear and see the spoken word piece!
First Prize
Suffer In Silence
by Jon Kote, Nigeria
Second Prize
Voice Against Child Trafficking
Chanjoh Rexson Ngong, Cameroon
Third Prize
Let's Be The Mender
Adetola Eyimofe Jerry-Adesewo, Nigeria
Honorable Mention
Oyamo Richard
Richiepoet the Artist, Kenya
Lillian Sheridan Jenda, Malawi
Othman Amina, Nigeria
Chukwu, Chisom Loretta, Nigeria
We Want To Be Children, Not Brides!
Gugulethu Matshazi Dube, Zimbabwe
Chosen by jurors Wole Adedoyin and Gabriel Sunday Afolayan, these works stood out from 72 submissions from Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Malawi, USA, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Pakistan and Ghana.
First Prize: Steve Biko Prize
VICTOR DAMILOLA GARUBA: Water Maid
Victor Damilola Garuba is a Nigerian short story writer and poet who finds his inspiration largely in mythological cosmology. His works appear in Brittle Paper, African Writer and Writers Space Africa.
Second Prize: Prof. Pius Adesanmi Prize
CHUKWU SUNDAY ABEL: You Are a Criminal
Chukwu Sunday Abel (Sunday Obiageli) is an Igbo-born journalist and writer whose literary works have been published in anthologies and magazines across four continents. He is a three-time nominee for pushcart literary prize; a winner of the Creators of Justice Literary Award by the International Human Rights Art Festival Awards, New York; and a finalist in the 2020 National EndSARS Poetry Competition Against Police Brutality in Nigeria.
Third Prize: Binyavanga Wainaina Prize
OLUSOJI OBEBE: At The End Of The Rainbow
Olusoji Obebe is a young Nigerian poet, fiction writer and essayist, nominated for BoTN and currently studying law at the University of Benin. He is a member of HCAF(Lagos) and recipient of PROFWIC ACHIEVERS AWARD 2022. Reach him on Instagram @olusojiobebe and Twitter, @olusoji_obebe.
African Short Story Contest
June 2023
IHRAF African Secretariat
publishes
Voices of Africa
Speaking Truth to Power
Curated and edited by African Secretariat Editor Dr. Uche Akunebu
March 2023
"Speaking Truth to Power anthology is a harvest of fertile poetic minds that revolts and roars like lions in the jungle when things go south. And as the African continent grapples with challenges that torpedoes her greatness, the anthology remains a one-stop shop for people searching for patriots, conscience of nations, freedom
fighters, human right activists, democrats, creative geniuses, and poets with perfect craft.
Immerse in the messages in the anthology. The African leaders and African continent will no doubt get her developmental rhythm right, to the glory of all Africans."
Dr. Uche Akunebu, Professor at the International Institute of Journalism, Abuja, Nigeria, Curator/Editor
What we’re up to at the African Secretariat!
Wole’s work in Africa reaches across the continent, and includes:
IHRAF AFRICA BOOK CLUB
At IHRAF Book Club, we promote human rights books and also establish book clubs of similar interest. We are currently working towards having a bookshop and art gallery (IHRAF BOOKSHOP AND ARTS GALLERY) where books and art works on human rights will be sold and exhibited. Also we assist human rights activists to establish their own book clubs. Currently, there are 10 clubs under the IHRAF Book Club.
IHRAF AFRICA TEEN AUTHORSHIP/ARTS SCHEME
This is for teen writers and artists. We train and publish teen writers and artists’ works. In order to catch them young and give them a sense of belonging, this scheme was created. We publish their works and give them positive voices. IHRAF International has already been doing this through her “IHRAF PUBLISHES”. We also have IHRAF Review, similar to IHRAF Publishes for Publishing works of African Human Rights Writers and Artists.
IHRAF AFRICA INTERVIEW SERIES
We use this platform to interview human rights artists and writers. For the full interview series, see below.
IHRAF AFRICA CREATIVE WRITING AND ARTS WEBINAR
This is our lecture series where we train and tutor human rights artists and writers. We hope to organize conference, seminar, forum and symposium under this educative and informative platform. We hope to host a physical workshop come July, 31, 2021 in Nigeria.
IHRAF AFRICA WOMEN WRITERS AND ARTISTS MENTORSHIP SCHEME
Women are vital to the human rights struggle and cause. Some of them who are writers and artists need training and mentoring. Under the mentorship scheme we publish their works and make their impacts and struggles known to the world.
IHRAF AFRICA CHAPBOOK SERIES
We publish human rights literature under this platform. Though published works are electronic/E-Books.
IHRAF AFRICA DOCUMENTARY SERIES
We hope to document and record human rights issues under this project. We hope to document and record the lives of living human rights activists and their works. This is a pending project as we are yet to get the resources to commence this project.
“Peace” by Christopher Samuel Idowu
In honor of IHRAF Africa’s one year anniversary, Director Wole Adedoyin and IHRAF African Outreach Coordinator Mbizo Chirasha, collected work from 12 writers and 4 artists from the Continent, to highlight the work, the passion and the positive intention of these African artivists. The title of the anthology is “Songs of Peace”, and represents another important creative chapter in the work of IHRAF Africa. With our great appreciation to our Brothers in Spirit, Wole and Mbizo!
Read more from the
IHRAF African Secretariat:
