daniel chigunwe
Youth Interactive Writer
Onald Gwiriri, a boy aged 10 years was recently nominated for an award in the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) 20th edition.
His book entitled ‘‘The Cursing Tortoise’’ published by Essential Books Publishing Company was nominated for the Outstanding Children’s Book.
Onald wrote the manuscript when he was 8-years-old.
The boy has broken a record for being the youngest nominee for a NAMA award ever since the awards’ inception in 2002.
His mother said that it was his second time to appear in the public domain. When he was 6-years old, Onald also broke a record for climbing up the 2 592m high Mount Nyangani.
Onald was born on 4 February 2011. He lives in Damview Park, Macheke.
He is a learner at Macheke Government Primary School.
The school head, Mr P.S Kadzviti said, “I am very grateful and impressed by Onald’s achievement. This will encourage other learners to do likewise or even better.
“We will encourage the boy to aim higher, the sky is the limit. We are also grateful to the parents for identifying and promoting his talent,” said Mr Kadzviti.
Asked about the book, Onald said, “The Cursing Tortoise is about how Crocodile and Elephant bullied Tortoise and were then cursed to have scaled skins.”
Onald’s parents were excited with the nomination.
His mother said, “I’m very grateful and wish him success.”
His father, Oscar Gwiriri who is a famous writer himself said that arts run in his family’s DNA.
“Onald’s sister, Natasha (21) is also an internationally acclaimed published poet, whilst the brother Onashe (19) is into music,” said Mr Gwiriri.
Onashe said, “I am quite surprised that Onald qualified for the NAMA nominations. I wish my young brother success.”
Natasha was very proud of her brother.
Asked about the trick behind enabling the boy to write books, Mr Gwiriri said, “Onald narrated his imaginative story whilst we were going for shopping. It was sound to me. When we went back home, I encouraged him to write the story down.
‘‘Onald is creative and fond of telling funny stories. As a way of managing him from disturbing my writing schedule, I sometimes told him to ‘speak less and write more.’.I emulated parents who nurtured their children to stardom, thus the likes of the Jacksons, Williams, our own biker, Tanya Muzinda, and so forth.”
One would wonder why Mr Gwiriri considered having the boy’s story published.
He said, “It’s not easy for an adult writer to de-role and put oneself in the shoes of children. ‘The Cursing Tortoise’ is a book written by a child for other children.
‘‘It will be much appreciated by children than those written by adults. Child writers have the appropriate vocabulary, tone, attitude and setting for stories, as they know what those of their level like most.”
Onald expressed his gratitude for the NAMA nomination by saying, “I feel so happy about it. I saw my father writing books, and then I started admiring it.
‘‘I started by writing the story in a rough book, then my father told me that it was a good story. He then helped me to publish it.
‘‘I have already written two more books which will be published in the future.”
Onald Gwiriri is a cool and outgoing boy who will be locking horns with adults, wrestling for the NAMA Outstanding Children’s Book award. There is potential for him to be a great writer. He wishes to see his book distributed to all primary schools in Zimbabwe and beyond borders. However, the publishers, Essential Books Publishing Company, said that it has no capacity due to financial constraints. The editor and publisher, Mr Aleck Kaposa appealed for funding for printing and distribution of large volumes of the book to enable the boy’s dream to be fulfilled. Mr Kaposa is contactable on 0737804947.
Online Reporter