Literary Prize “Les Afriks” 2021 awarded to Congolese novelist Fiston Mwanza Mujila

In its 2021 edition the literary prize “Les Afriques” was given to Congolese writer Fiston Mwanza Mujila for his novel “La Danse du Villain”, indicates a press release from the jury for the award.

The President of the Jury, Professor Ambroise Kom, is pleased to announce that the sixth edition of the literary prize “Les Afriques” has been awarded to Congolese writer Fiston Mwanza Mujila for his novel ‘La Danse du Villain’. Read the press release.

The specific work was published in 2020 by Editions Metelli (France).

The Congolese novelist has replaced Nigerian Ayobami Adebayo, who was given the honor in 2020 for “Reste Avec Moi” (Meteli Edition, 2019).

The prize includes 5,300 euros (3,476,572 CFA francs), a work of art worth 3,500 euros (2,295,849 CFA francs), the purchase of 100 copies of the prize winning book or the acquisition of the rights to the prize. The winning book for the geographic region of French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa,” the statement said.

In addition to its president, the jury is made up of novelists and literature educators Boubacar Boris Diop and Koulsi Lamko, who also teaches literature by Bourahima Outara, a writer. It also includes journalist and critic Sada Kane and short story writer and novelist Alfonsín Bouya.

The jury noted, “The novel primarily highlights themes of inter-African migration, the artistic exploitation of the wealth of their sub-lands by Africans, and its consequences: the continuing degradation of their living conditions”.

It is also about the growing gap between the African population and its political class, which is the only person to be rich. Fiston Mwanza Mujila also questions the so-called fervor of Africans in general and Congolese in particular, through his characters, the history of individual and collective tragedies that hide behind the frenzied rhythm of a laugh or a dance. ‘ he adds.

The literary prize “Les Afriks” was created in 2015 by the literary CENE, the “Union of Readers”.

It is awarded once a year to the author of a novel highlighting a humanitarian, social, ideological, political, cultural, economic or even historical cause in relation to Africa or its diaspora.

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