Boakye D. Alpha, acclaimed Ghanaian writer, editor, filmmaker and critic, has been announced as a speaker at the upcoming Writing and the Power of Language event, part of the Essex Writers House 2026 programme in the United Kingdom.
The event, scheduled for 24 June 2026, will be held in partnership with the National Centre for Writing and will explore how language shapes identity, culture, and experiences of oppression in contemporary storytelling.
Boakye D. Alpha will appear on the panel alongside British author Camilla Balshaw and writer Emily Abdeni-Holman.
Described by organisers as a Ghanaian interdisciplinary creative, Boakye’s work spans poetry, prose, screenwriting, creative nonfiction, and filmmaking. His writing has appeared on literary platforms including Lolwe, The Shallow Tales Review, and Lounloun, among others. Boakye’s current work-in-progress examines the realities faced by women in Ghana who experience violence and systemic oppression rooted in superstition. Through intergenerational storytelling, the project explores the enduring effects of gendered violence and social exclusion.
His inclusion in the Essex Writers House programme reflects growing international recognition for a new generation of African writers whose work blends literary experimentation with urgent social themes.
The event will take place on June 24, 2026, at Chalkwell Hall in Southend-on-Sea, England.
The month-long literary programme, hosted by Metal Culture in partnership with the Essex Book Festival, brings together writers, storytellers, and literary practitioners from different backgrounds for conversations, workshops, and public events focused on contemporary writing and culture.