Beverley Nambozo is famous as the Ugandan who set up the BN Poetry Award. This prize which started in 2009 had humble ambitions; to celebrate and promote the poetry genre in Uganda. The prize is now continental and just recently announced a new board that included Sahro Ahmed Koshin, a Somali-Dutch poet and founder of the Puntland Women Writers Association. Also in the board are Remi Raji, Professor at Ibadan University and published author, Graham Mort, Professor of Transcultural Literature at Lancaster University and David Ishaya Osu a poet and social commentator from Nigeria.
Even as Nambozo steers the BN Poetry Prize, she is also the poet who compiled A Thousand Voices Rising featuring the works of winners of the Caine Prize, Sillerman Book Prize, the BN Poetry Award and those shortlisted for Poetry Foundation Ghana prize, the African Poetry Book Fund prize, Short Story Day Africa and more. The poems are about heartbreak, genocide, love, leadership, inspiration, next door neighbours, money, faith, landscape, personal journeys, family, children and education.
The book is now available in Nairobi, Kenya to lovers of poetry. At a new year’s discount of Kshs500, those who want to read some of the best poetry out now you can call 0722 790 479. Based on what I have seen Kshs500 is a bargain. Hurry hurry while stocks last.
