Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe
Script error: No such module "Draft topics".
Script error: No such module "AfC topic".
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe (born 7 January 1990) is a Gambian writer and a scholar. Raised in Brikama Town, The Gambia, and later studied in Niger, Nigeria, Mali, France, South Africa, and the USA. ML Sowe is the author of four novels and several award-winning poems and short stories. He won the 2021 African Literature Award for his novel Don't Judge The Book By The Cover (lit. 'Ne jugez pas le livre par la couverture'), becoming the first West African to do so.[1]
Early life[edit]
Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe was born in 1990 in Bakau Newtown, The Gambia, by a Senegalese mother and a Gambian father. His grandparents originated from Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, and Saudi Arabia. Modou Lamin comes from a religious family of multiple scribes and Islamic scholars. His paternal grandfather, Demba Raki was renowned for his mystical powers as a traditional healer who was very vast in the Holy Qur'an. His maternal grandfather, Babacar Saye was a well-respected war general in Diannah, a village in Senegal. Diana is situated west of Kereouane, and south of Abéné in Ziguinchor. His great paternal grandfather, Mame Medouin Jaw Saye was a student of Serigne Babacar Sy of Senegal. Serigne Babacar Sy assigned Mame Medouin Jaw to settle in Nder, Senegal, and he later got married to the family of the Serigne.
Modou's father, Gorgy Sowe, a friend of Lamin Kaba Bajo, President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF), is a very popular technician in Brikama town. Modou Lamin Sowe grew up in Brikama town in a large Fula family in The Gambia. He completed his secondary studies at Masroor Senior Secondary School in The Gambia. He moved to Niger in 2016 in exile to be able to write, before proceeding to Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, South Africa, Mali, the US, and France to study at African Development University.
He later studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), and The Gambia National Library.
Age-Almusaf began writing at the age of 14 while growing up in Brikama Wellingara, Brikama Nyambai, and Brikama Kabafita, respectively.[2]
He writes poetry, prose, and drama. Modou started his writing career in upper-basic school while in grade seven. ML Sowe initiated the Children's Educational Phone-In Programme at Brikama Community Radio Station (FMB), where he worked as a youth radio presenter as a child. He later formed the Youth and Children in Media Development (CHIMED) before getting elected as the Regional Youth Chairperson for West Coast Region by the National Patriotic Students Association (NaPSA).[3]
Sowe is commonly called Figo or Modou Sowe in Brikama, where he is very popular. He grew up in the compounds of the King of Kora, Jaliba Kuyateh; the late veteran Gambian politician Lamin Waa Juwara; and Jatto Sillah, former Gambian minister of Forestry and the Environment.[4]
Career[edit]
Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe is the founder of the Young Writers Association of The Gambia (YWAG) and former Secretary-General at the Writers Association of The Gambia (WAG).[5]
ML Sowe's short story "The Memories of Reflection" (2014), approved by the Ministry of Basic Secondary Education (MOBSE) was awarded the WAG Laureate for Children's Literature. In 2020, he received the Subscribers Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest 2021 by the Winning Writers for his famous poetry book "Afrika Not AfriCa".[6] In 2020, he was shortlisted by the African Writers Development Trust (AWDT) based in Abuja, Nigeria, as one of the 12 selected emerging African writers at the #PenPen Africa Writers Residency held in Nigeria and Kenya.[7] Modou Lamin Sowe was listed by African Idols among the top 5 emerging West African writers together with Abi Dare of Nigeria and Mohamed Mbougar Sarr of Senegal.[8]
In January 2022, he was awarded the African Literature Award for his novel Don't Judge The Book By The Cover[9]
Prizes[edit]
- 2019: Best Young Gambian Writer of The Year 2019 and the WAG Laureate for Children’s Literature for "The Memories of Reflection"[10]
- 2020: Subscribers Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest 2021 by the Winning Writers for AfriKa Not AfriCa[11]
- 2021: African Literature Award for Don't Judge The Book By The Cover[12]
Books[edit]
- 2006: "Don't Judge The Book By The Cover"[13]
- 2014: The Memories of Reflection
- 2016: The Throne of The Ghost[14]
- 2020: AfriKa Not AfriCa[15]
- 2021: TWAWEZA (An Anthology of 24 African Non-Fiction Stories published by African Writers Development Trust)[16]
References[edit]
- ↑ Young Gambian writer makes top four West African writers list
- ↑ The Forest of Silence: Poetry by Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe
- ↑ WAG Honors Late President Jawara
- ↑ CG Darboe inspires young Gambian writers
- ↑ YWAG Unveils New Executive Members, Commends Dr. Tijan M. Sallah
- ↑ AfriKa Not AfriCa Book by Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe
- ↑ PENPEN AFRICA WRITERS RESIDENCY PARTICIPANTS
- ↑ Sixteen Writers Receive Gambia Prize For Literature Award As KKIBF Curtain Down
- ↑ Young Gambian writer to launch book today
- ↑ WAG Unveils 100 Most Influential Gambian Writers
- ↑ Subscriber News: May 2021
- ↑ Gambia’s Modou Lamin AGE-ALMUSAF Sowe Launches New Book ;Unveils His Award of Excellence for African Literature
- ↑ Gambie: rencontre avec Modou Lamin Sowe en marge de la première foire du Livre à Banjul
- ↑ The Throne of the Ghost Book by Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe
- ↑ Award-winning Gambian Author to Launch New Book
- ↑ "Gambia's Modou Lamin AGE-ALMUSAF Sowe Launches New Book ;Unveils His Award Of Excellence For African Literature – The Fatu Network". January 8, 2022.
This article "Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Modou Lamin Age-Almusaf Sowe. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
