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ers, sales representatives and theatre direc- tors celebrating the black cultural heritage through the arts with positive images that provide black youngsters with role models – instilling in them a belief in themselves and security in their identities. Nana Ayebia wishes to form partner- ships with publishing houses that subscribe to her mission. She has recently partnered with the South African-based Real Afri- can Publishers (RAP) in a shared vision to spearhead change, through the publication of children’s books. Nana Ayebia is adamant that transformation should begin with Af- rica’s children, as most adult Africans have


that African children who are being


constantly fed with a Western diet of books, will grow up neglecting or rejecting their own culture.”


“Ayebia insists


sadly been brainwashed. “It is happening again with our children and must be ar- rested,” she laments. She maintains that publishing for children, especially African children, remains the most important as- pect of publishing because of the impact of colonialism, neocolonialism and their continuing negative legacies. Why? “Be- cause knowledge is power,” she says. “And the control of knowledge has always been a political question that makes the arena for cultural production a site of struggle for dominance and [a site of] struggle for the power to define, legitimise and consecrate ideas, producers and products.


Nana Ayebia receives her MBE for services to publishing from Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture


“Te agents in this field are of course people – writers, critics, reviewers and in- stitutions – publishers, schools, journals, libraries and booksellers, etc. Te power relations between these agents will depend on the specific capital that each agent pos- sesses. Tose with the power will dictate the manner in which our institutions are structured and [ensure they are] instructed for their benefit not ours.”


She is keen to foster the next genera- tion of African literature lovers. She in- sists that African children who are being constantly fed with a Western diet of books, will grow up neglect- ing or rejecting their own culture and literature in all aspects of life, with massive commercial and social consequences for Africa.


“Watch out for the Afri- can Writers Children’s Se- ries (AWCS),” she told New African. “Ayebia and Real Af- rican are coming. Our blue- print (or shall we say black- print?) entitled Tofi’s Fire Dance, by Pusch Commey, will hit the global market soon. It’s a work of literary genius,” she quips.


With excitement dancing in her eyes, she adds: “Soon to follow will be African children’s stories from the late Efua Suth- erland, Kofi Anyidoho and all the distinguished African writ- ers that are household names. New writers are welcome. Tis is about Africa’s answer to win- ning the future.”


New African June 2011 | 93


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