Paris (© 2024 Afriquinfos) – Organized since 2019 by the Orange Foundation, the Orange Book Prize in Africa (POLA), ends this year, on the decision of Hafida Guenfoud, the new director of sponsorship of the Orange Foundation, arrival a little over a year ago from the Société Générale bank. She would rather like to focus on other interests.
According to email exchanges between the jury, led by the Ivorian Véronique Tadjo, and Hafida Genfound, this decision is justified by the desire of the foundation to now invest in education in schools via associations.
The Orange Foundation’s decision also surprised the members of the POLA jury. Especially since the prize was canceled without the foundation having previously informed the jurors, nor the numerous local committees which, in French-speaking African countries, carried out the essential work of selecting the works.
It was simply noted that the call for applications for the 2025 edition, which was to be launched in mid-September 2024, was not effective.
The reading committee for the 7th edition of the literary prize which was to begin reading the African production of the year would not have received any official information, reports Jeune Afrique. It is made up of six committees across Africa (Tunisia, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali and Pan-African).
For six consecutive years, the Orange Foundation has rewarded, through the POLA, a novel written in French by an African writer. Intended to promote African literary talents and local African publishing, the Orange Africa Book Prize is conducted in partnership with the French institute. To be eligible for application, the novel must be published during the year and published by a publishing house based on the African continent.
Each year, at the end of March, the jury selects 30 novels then at the end of April narrows the list to 5 and allows voting to open on the official website www.lecteurs.com until mid-May. All Internet users elect their favorite novel, the members of the jury also vote, their vote counting at 50% of the final choice.
For the first selection of works, the prize is based on reading committees based in Africa. Since its inception, POLA has been chaired by the writer and academic Véronique Tadjo. It is made up of a rotating jury of seven book professionals, five authors and two booksellers, and seven Internet users selected by application.
The winner is announced at the beginning of June during an award ceremony where he or she receives a grant of €10,000. He also benefits from promotional support and is invited to become a member of the jury the following year. The finalist publishers, for their part, benefit from support in the form of workshops via the International Alliance of Independent Publishers.
The first Orange Africa prize was won in 2019 by Cameroonian Djaïli Amadou Amal for her novel Munyal, the tears of patience published by Proximité editions. The latest, that of 2024, by Dibakana Mankessi for Le psychanalyse de Brazzaville published by Les Lettres Mouchetées in 2023.
V.A.
