The 2026 New Voices Fiction Contest by Creatives Project Ghana has recognised three emerging writers whose stories offer distinct interpretations of the theme A Country in Motion. H. Griot took first place with Outside the Photograph, followed by Ahobaa-Kwofie Abigail with A Song Of Thousand Parts and Pearl Adjavon with In and Out of Accra.
Beyond their placements, the writers bring different interests, experiences and approaches to storytelling. Their journeys also reflect the different ways a writer can find a voice, whether through a longstanding love of stories, a decision to finally put imagined scenarios on paper or a desire to capture the everyday experiences of young Africans.
H. Griot — First Place, Outside the Photograph
H. Griot is a Ghanaian writer drawn to stories that stay with readers long after the last page. His writing explores memory, identity, culture and the moments that shape us, drawing inspiration from Ghanaian life, folklore, music and everyday experiences.
Working across African fantasy, short fiction, poetry and reflective personal stories, he enjoys weaving familiar worlds with a touch of imagination. For him, writing is both a way of making sense of the world and a way of giving readers a place to see themselves.
His winning story, Outside the Photograph, caught the attention of jury member Boakye D. Alpha for the way it connects a protagonist’s physical journey with the movement and changes taking place across Ghana.
“The story is well written, and I particularly like how the protagonist’s physical journey mirrors the movement and changes happening across the country,” Alpha said. He also praised the story’s natural engagement with the theme and its portrayal of Ghana through the eyes of a returnee, describing it as a strong display of “Ghanaianness”.
Ahobaa-Kwofie Abigail — Second Place, A Song Of Thousand Parts
Ahobaa-Kwofie Abigail is a third-year student at the University of Media, Arts and Communication – Institute of Journalism (UNIMAC-IJ), formerly known as the Ghana Institute of Journalism.
Her love for reading grew from discovering how words could create worlds she had never known. She also enjoys watching movies, finding pleasure in the different ways stories can unfold.
For a long time, however, writing remained something she put off. She found one excuse or another not to begin, until the New Voices Fiction Contest gave her the motivation to move beyond imagining scenarios and put them into words.
Her story, A Song Of Thousand Parts, earned second place and was praised by jury member Boakye D. Alpha for its fresh interpretation of the contest theme. The story uses body possession as a way of expressing movement, extending the idea of a country in motion through the different characters inhabited by the main character.
“I like their interpretation of the theme and how movement is expressed through body possession—and even through that, we still see a country in motion; through each character the MC inhabits, we see Ghana awake,” Alpha said. He also commended Abigail’s writing style and voice, describing the approach as a fresh and original take on the theme.
Grateful for the opportunity, Abigail hopes readers enjoy her work. Her experience with the contest marks a significant step in turning a love of stories into the practice of writing them.
Pearl Adjavon — Third Place, In and Out of Accra
At 22, Pearl Adjavon is an emerging Ghanaian writer living in Accra with her big family. She is passionate about capturing the everyday experiences of young Africans and telling meaningful stories around them with hope, honesty and humour.
Her third-place entry, In and Out of Accra, earned praise from jury member Ama Pomaa for its strong opening, picturesque setting and well-paced plot. Pomaa also highlighted its clear character goal, descriptive language and natural dialogue, noting how deeply the story is rooted in Ghanaian life.
“A story with a strong opening; picturesque setting; well-paced plot with a resolution,” Pomaa said, describing the qualities that made the work stand out. She also praised the story for being steeped in “Ghanaianness”.
Pearl’s interest in the everyday experiences of young Africans informs her ambition to tell stories that are both meaningful and accessible. She hopes to publish full-length novels in the future, and her recognition in this year’s contest marks an encouraging milestone towards that goal.
The three writers represent different approaches to fiction, but their entries share an engagement with the experiences, places and cultural realities that shape life in Ghana. Their achievements also highlight the value of opportunities that encourage emerging writers to move from private imagination to sharing their work with readers.
The 2026 shortlist also included Papa Mmireku Ohene-Agyekum with Beneath The Embrace Of A Baobab Tree, Ruby Excel with Fusion and Eric Nii Okai Dormon with I Won't Stay. The three were recognised as shortlisted finalists without additional rankings.
Through the New Voices Fiction Contest, Creatives Project Ghana continues to provide a platform for emerging writers to develop their craft and bring new perspectives into Ghana’s literary landscape. This year’s winners offer a glimpse of the varied stories being told by a new generation of writers, each finding a different way to explore what it means to live, remember and move through a changing country.