The Foundation is run by the founder, Ogochukwu Promise, Ph.D. She is a multi-talented, multiple award winning author of the following books:
- Cadbury prize for poetry (1999) with her collection of poems entitled My Mother’s Eyes Speak Volumes,
- Spectrum prize for prose (1999) with her novel Surveyor Of Dreams
- The distinguished Okigbo poetry prize for poetry in Africa (2000) with her collection entitled: Canals In Paradox.
- Spectrum prize award for prose (also in year 2000) for her novel, Deep Blue Woman.
- Maiden ANA/NDDC Ken Saro Wiwa prize (2002) with her widely acclaimed novel, Hall Of Memories.
- The Matatu prize for children’s literature (2002) with her children’s book, The Street Beggars.
- ANA/NDDC Flora Nwapa prize (2003) with her novel, Fumes and Cymbals.
- The first Pat Utomi Book Prize (2005) with her highly political novel, In the Middle of the Night.
She is an Azikiwe Fellow in Communication as well as a fellow of Stiftung Kulturfonds. She has enjoyed fellowships in the US, Italy and Germany and has travelled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia as a scholar, novelist, playwright and a poet. She has a Ph.D. in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. She also expresses herself in abstract paintings and has held many exhibitions both in Africa and Europe. Her paintings form the background of this website.
The coordinator of The Lumina Foundation is also the author of the following collections of essays: Attaining Desired Heights in Business, People Management Through Effective Communication, Brand Value – Brand Success, Building Self Esteem, Creative Writing And The Muse, The Writer As God, Dreams, Shadow and Reality and Wild Letters in Harmattan.
NOTE FROM THE CO-ORDINATOR ON THE WOLE SOYINKA PRIZE
The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is instituted in honour of Prof. Wole Soyinka, the very first African to win the Nobel Prize in 1986. We, at The Lumina Foundation, consider this prize long overdue and are therefore glad that we are putting it together at last. Perhaps it took this long because we know it has to be done well considering the awesome achievements of the man in whose name this award is being instituted. Knowing fully well that nothing but the very best is associated with him, we took our time in order to do the background work properly, get the right kind of people with foresight, determination and goodwill, people who still believe in doing things right and are courageous enough to believe still in the power of knowledge to transform both individuals and societies.
A number of other eminent Africans and scholars from various African countries will be joining us next month. Please be informed that work is still going on in this website, but we needed to allow people access to it since the announcement of our various engagements may necessitate their visit to our website to obtain further information on us.
It is our hope that our collective effort toward the development of the mind and appreciation of talents will foster development.