A REVIEW OF THE (AT)TRIBUTES OF NAMWANJA MARGARET CHIKWABI BYAkinrinade Funminiyi Isaac WSA Magazine Review Team Head

Shockingly, the cover design of July 2021 Edition of WSA Magazine wore a familiar but unexpected look. The cover featured a smiling woman with a dazzling diastema, but that wasn’t all, “in loving memory NAMWANJA MARGARET CHIKWABI” was included! 

Under the Editor’s Note, WSA Editorial Team announced the passing away of their Chief Editor, Namwanja Margaret Chikwabi. In their words, "Namwanja worked hard to promote literature not only in Zambia but in Africa at large. She served in various voluntary roles such as the Director of the Department of Programmes, Publications, and Events, the Vice Country Coordinator of Writers Space Africa – Zambia (WSA-Zm) and the Chief Editor of WSA Monthly Literary Magazine. She was passionate, dedicated, and committed to her work. She brought a lot of new ideas to WSA and had – in the few months she spent – mentored several writers across the continent. She reviewed several books which were published in the papers and also on her blog".

In the tribute of Mr. Anthony Onugba, Founder and President, Writers Space Africa, he said "Namwanja is my friend. We have been friends for just about seven months since we first physically met, days before the 2020 African Writers Conference… She was simply good natured and nurtured the virtue of goodness. She is a good person. Namwanja's death came as a shock and some of us still live-in denial. It is difficult to accept a loss that hits your soul".

Sadly, no bucket of words can fill the drum of emptiness that her loss has caused. It’s a cross we all have to bear. Mr. Anthony added that "going forward, we shall immortalize Namwanja but this will be announced in the coming months. Namwanja is a good person. Namwanja is a great person. Let’s be like Namwanja. Let’s be great".

Perusing the sixteen tributes of Namwanja Margaret Chikwabi, six things stood out for me. These words perfectly describe her nature and I believe if we can demonstrate these attributes, not only would we be better individuals, but we shall make the world a better place and become immortalized like Namwanja would be.

Namwanja was a "multitasker" with a vibrant spirit. Namwanja was "felt". Her contribution, creativity, and innovation in the growth of African Literature can’t be overemphasized. Namwanja was a "friend" not a distant leader. She was a mentor, teacher, mother, sister, and most importantly, a friend to all. Namwanja was a "smiler". A Chinese proverb said a person without a smile must never open a shop. Little wonder she succeeded in her business and voluntary roles. Her smile could hold anyone spellbound! Namwanja was a "student" but taught simultaneously; she never outgrew learning new things. She was keen on her growth! Namwanja was "appreciative". Do one thing for Namwanja and she would appreciate you ten thousand times. No flattery, she was just good!

On a personal level, Namwanja was a bowl of energy! I call her CE, my personal motivator, my hype-woman. She calls me Isaac, my editor. She said I was going to edit her future book of poetry and flash fiction. Perhaps, I would fulfil that by writing books of poetry and flash fiction dedicated to her. Her exit was painful but who are we to question death? After all, we are all mourners awaiting death’s invite.

Finally, like Mr. Anthony Onugba said, "Namwanja is a good person. Namwanja is a great person. Let’s be like Namwanja. Let’s be great".