4 Malawian authors  recognised with Legendary Awards

Four Malawian authors, among them historian Desmond Dudwa Phiri and Emeritus Professor Steve Chimombo, have received Legendary Awards from Malawi Writers Union (Mawu).

The awardees received the awards at ceremony that took place at Shire Highlands Hotel in Blantyre on Saturday.

Former Executive Director of Malawi Institute of Journalism Dr James Ngombe was also among the awardees.

They all received books and K100,000 each as prizes.

However, writers to advantage of the ceremony, which was graced by Blantyre City Mayor Noel Chalamanda, to take a swipe at government for not incorporating their works into schooll curriculum.

Renowned author Willie Zingani claimed that some of his works are being used in schools in Ghana and Ethiopia, but not in Malawi.

He therefore urged government to consider incorporate their works into school curriculum than promoting foreign authors or foreign books.

While Phiri, widely known as D.D. Phiri, claimed that countries such as Greece, Israel and Saudi Arabia value their writers.

On his part, Mawu President Tsambalikagwa Mvona noted that writers have contributed to the economic and social development of a country, but the nation does not value them.

“A nation which does not honour its writers is a nation without vision,” said Mvona.

He therefore said it was high time Malawi started honouring its writers.

Chalamanda hailed Mawu for honouring and recognising the works of the awardees while they are still alive.

The Blantyre City Mayor observed that with technology there was no longer any reading culture, but “copy and paste”.

He therefore took trouble to encouraged the young generation to learn to write and read let alone nurture the reading culture.

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