Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize: A striptease

The Winner/Chief Guest: Jerusha Kananu Marete, 'Echoes of Military Souls'

Your truly, Sant Mark, 'A Funeral Dress for Nyasuguta', with the esteemed writer and musician, Tee Ngugi

24^th/August/2023

Venue? Alliance Française, Nairobi. The event? Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize. The organisers? Mystery Publishers. The forward thinking companies that have come on board as the sponsors? CLAVIS Fashion Hub, U.M. Gallery, kamaNu, GL, Sayari Insurance Agencies, Alliance Française (and the French Embassy), and Nuria Bookstore. Subsequent stories will reveal why these are forward thinking companies.

Well, you can always tell how big an event is by looking at the list of speakers and the notable attendees therein. The speakers: Prof. Mugubi, Prof. Wangari Mwai, Prof. Ngugi, Prof. Austin Bukenya, Alice Kairichi, Hon. Dr. John Kanyuithia Mutunga, Prof. PLO Lumumba, Prof. Mohammed Bakari, Justice (Retired) Aaron Ringera, Dr. Muthomi Thiankolu, Dr. Gameli Tordzro, Vincent de Paul, Ezekiel Machogu… eminent persons through and through. Notable attendees: Tee Ngugi, Smitta Smitten, John Sibi-Okumu, Empress Ciku…

Of course, an excellent event is also judged by the quality of scheduled entertainment: Kamanu Band, Humble Buoy Dancers, Sant Mark (yours truly), Swinton Nkatha, Qibuchi, Obert Dube, Dr. Gameli Tordzro, Jerusha Marete, Kimani Gichau…

The nominees to the prize: Dancan Ouma (City of Cannibals), Vincent de Paul (First Love), Jerusha Kananu Marete (Echoes of Military Souls - is a power-packed package of art that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a roller coaster stream of emotion. The poems forcefully remind us that soldiers lay down their lives for fellow humans. But do we really value this singular sacrifice?… )

And to the finale (fireworks), the winner of the 2022 Afrika Redefined Indie Book Prize… (more stories around the event next week)

(Meanwhile, get my short stories collection at: https://nuriakenya.com/product/a-funeral-dress-for-nyasuguta-by-mark-mwangi/)

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