Dzifa Benson: Ghanaian Wins UK's Leading Poetry Prize; Receives over GHc123k

Dzifa Benson: Ghanaian Wins UK's Leading Poetry Prize; Receives over GHc123k

  • A British-Ghanaian poet, Dzifa Benson, has won the Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship, receiving a cash amount of £15,000 (GHc123,072.88)
  • The Fellowship is UK's leading poetry prize that aims to recognise and give a platform to the next generation of British poets
  • Dzifa spoke to the BBC about what the award means to her and what she will be doing with the fellowship

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see YEN.com.gh News on your News Feed!

A British-Ghanaian poet, Dzifa Benson, has won UK's leading poetry prize, the Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship.

The Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowships for 2021-2022 were announced on November 2, with Dzifa Benson and two other poets each receiving £15,000 (GHc123,072.88), and a year of mentoring support dedicated to developing their craft, Wasafiri reported.

The Fellowship supports poets whose practice encompasses poetry in the broadest artistic sense and aims to recognise and give a platform to the next generation of British poets whose works reflect on what it means to live and work in Britain today.

Read also

Meet Ghanaian nurse who turns plastic waste into beautiful flowers to save the planet

Ghanaian poet Dzifa Benson
Ghanaian Dzifa Benson Wins UK's Leading Poetry Prize; Receives over GHc123k Photo credit: Dzifa Benson
Source: Instagram

Show of gratitude and excitement

Born to Ghanaian parentage in London, Dzifa grew up in Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo and now lives in West London.

Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with all major Ghana news

Speaking to the BBC's Victoria Rubadiri, she expressed excitement about the acknowledgment and support for her work.

''It's really amazing to have that acknowledgment and that support and care. It makes me feel calmer but also revved up because here's evidence that people do believe in your work.
''So, it kind of inspires you and makes you want to do better, and at the same time, it takes away that anxiousness that you use to have. So, all- round, it's fantastic,'' she said.

Future works

Asked what she will be doing with the fellowship thinking about the recognition and what it entails, she said:

Read also

Meet the Ghanaian female carpenter making a bold statement in the profession with her craft

''There are so many things I'd like to do; first of all, I'd like to finish my poetry collection which I've been working on for a number of years.
''Secondly, I'm also writing a play and that contains a lot of poetry in it as well ... I want to finish drafting that as well.''

Impacting her roots

With love for her roots, Dzifa plans on bringing to life a couple of projects, including a concept that taps into her Ghanaian Ewe heritage. ''It's a fusion of theatre, dance, and movement.''

''At the moment, it's a concept. And in fact, that's the concept I'm using my application for the Jerwood award, and now I have to flesh it out,'' she said.

Professor Gyapong Receives Outstanding Female Scientist Prize

Meanwhile, Professor Margaret Gyapong became the third woman in the world and the first Black African to receive an Outstanding Female Scientist Prize from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

Read also

Meet level 400 lady at UCC who runs own poultry farm with 28k birds; gets 1k egg crates weekly

The report shared that EDCTP is known for supporting clinical and vaccine trials, as well as various laboratory, works across the world.

Professor Margaret Gyapong became the first-ever social scientist to receive the prestigious award. The vibrant female professor is the director of the Institute of Health Research (IHR) and the coordinator of the Centre for Health Policy and Implementation Research (CHPIR) at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Graphic Online reported.

Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Source: YEN.com.gh

Online view pixel