Ruby Yayra Goka

Ruby Yayra Goka
Born (1982-05-15) 15 May 1982 (age 42)
Accra, Ghana
OccupationDentist, author
NationalityGhanaian
GenreFiction

Ruby Yayra Goka (born 15 May 1982, Accra) is a Ghanaian dentist and author. She is best known for being a multiple Burt Award for African Literature winner in Ghana.[1][2]

Goka, who is an alumnus of the University of Ghana Dental School, currently heads the Dental Department of the Ho Teaching Hospital.

Life

[edit]

Born in Accra, Ghana, Goka was born to Simon Yao Goka, a retired diplomat and Lydia Aku Goka, a stay-at-home-mother. When Ruby was two years old, her family moved to Ethiopia, where she attended the Peter Pan International School. When she was six, her family moved back to Ghana and she continued her basic and secondary education at the St. Anthony's School (1988–96) and Achimota School (1996–99) respectively both in Accra.

She obtained a BDS from the University of Ghana Dental School in 2009[3] and worked for two years at the Ridge Hospital Accra, in Accra. She later moved to Sogakofe, where she worked for two years at the South Tongu District Hospital. She is a fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons after completing her residency training at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi in 2016 and her fellowship training at the University of Ghana Dental School, Accra in 2023. She currently heads the Dental Department of the Ho Teaching Hospital, Ho.

In 2017, Goka won an award in the Authorship and Creative Writing Category in the 40 under 40 awards in Ghana.[4] She was also awarded a Medical Excellence Award in Dentistry in the same year. Goka is a 2017 Mandela Washington Fellow.[5]

Bibliography

[edit]

Adult Books:

Young Adult Books:


Children Books:

Anthologies:

  • Mother, Anthology of writing on mothers (contribution: "The ABCs of Motherhood")

Awards

[edit]
  • Monteiro Lobato FNLIJ Award 2023 (Mesmo Quando sua voz Falar)
  • Rise: A feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 Honour Book 2023 (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[7]   
  • Efua Sutherland Children's Book Prize 2022/Ghana Association of Writers' Children's Story Prize (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[8]
  • Brittle Paper's 100 Notable African Books of 2022 (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[9]
  • Books for Keeps Ten of the Best: Books from the Commonwealth 2022 (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[10]
  • Kirkus Review 2022 (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[11]
  • School Library Journal Review 2022 (Even When Your Voice Shakes)[12]
  • Efua Sutherland Children's Book Prize 2021/Ghana Association of Writers' Children's Story Prize (Trotro Trio: A Blast to the Past)
  • Women in Sports Collection 2020 (Girl on Fire)
  • IBBY Honour Book 2020 (Mama's Amazing Cover Cloth)[13]
  • Efua Sutherland Children's Book Prize 2020/Ghana Association of Writers' Children's Story Prize (Mama's Amazing Cover Cloth)
  • CABA Honour Book 2019 (Mama's Amazing Cover Cloth)[14]
  • Ayi Kwei Armah Award 2019/Ghana Association of Writers Novel Prize (To Kiss a Girl) (2019)[15]
  • Inspire Us Book Collection 2019: Honour Book (Whatever it Takes) (2019)[16]
  • The Professor Kofi Awoonor Literary Prize 2018: Second runner-up (In the Middle of Nowhere)[17]
  • Efua Sutherland Book Prize 2018/Ghana Association of Writers' Children's Story Prize (A Gift for Fafa)
  • Ayi Kwei Armah Award 2018/Ghana Association of Writers' Novel Prize Runner-up (In the Middle of Nowhere)
  • Burt Award for African Literature 2018 (To Kiss a Girl)[18]
  • CODE Burt Award for Ghanaian Young Adult Literature 2018 (The Broken Wall)
  • CODE Burt Award for Young Adult Literature: All Star Edition 2017 (The Step-Monster)[19]
  • Medical Excellence Award—Dentist category (2017)
  • 40 under 40 award: Authorship and creative writing (2017)[20]
  • Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature (2017) (Finalist)
  • Ghana Writers’ Awards—Short Story Category (2017) (Finalist)[21]
  • Burt Award for African Young Adults (2017) (Honour Prize)[22]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2015) (First Prize)[23]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2014) (Second Prize)[24]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2013) (First Prize)[25]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2012) (Second Prize)
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2012) (Honourable Mention)
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2011) (Second Prize)
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2010) (Third Prize) [26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Burt Award Winners". Ghana Book Trust. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  2. ^ "CODE Announces The Winner of The Burt Award For African Young Adult Literature All Stars". Burt Literary Awards. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  3. ^ "An Interview With Ghanaian Writer Ruby Goka". Geosi Reads. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Full List of Winners at 2017 Forty Under 40 Awards". Kasapa FM Online. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  5. ^ "40 Ghanaians Leave For YALI Programme in US". Citi FM Online. 22 June 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Book Review: In The Middle of Nowhere". Graphic Online. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  7. ^ risefeministbooksadmin (2024-01-15). "2023 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List". Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  8. ^ "Ghana Association of Writers releases shortlisted winners for 2022 literary awards - MyJoyOnline". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-11-01. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  9. ^ "100 Notable African Books of 2022". brittlepaper.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  10. ^ "Ten of the Best: Books from the Commonwealth – Books For Keeps". booksforkeeps.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  11. ^ EVEN WHEN YOUR VOICE SHAKES | Kirkus Reviews.
  12. ^ Yayra, Goka, Ruby. "Even When Your Voice Shakes". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2024-09-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "2020". www.ibby.org. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  14. ^ "CABA 2019 Winners | Center for African Studies". cfas.howard.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  15. ^ "Ghana Association of Writers committed to promoting literary excellence". GhanaWeb. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Digital Story Launch & Awards Ceremony for Inspire Us Authors". WorldReader. Retrieved 30 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Kofi Awoonor Literary Prize 2018 Archives -". 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  18. ^ "The 2018 CODE Burt Award for Young Adult African Literature Goes to Kenya's Kinyanjui Kombani". brittlepaper.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  19. ^ Murua, James (2017-09-08). "Burt Awards 2017 All Stars unveiled". Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  20. ^ "2017 Nominees". 40under40awards. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  21. ^ "Shortlisted Entries For 2017 Ghana Writers Announced". Ghana News Agency. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  22. ^ "CODE's Burt Award For African Young Adult Literature". CODE Burt Literary Awards. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  23. ^ "Celebrating the Winners of the 2015-16 Burt Award for African Literature". CODE Burt Literary Awards. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  24. ^ "Ghanaian Writers Pick Awards". Modern Ghana. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  25. ^ "Burt Awards 2013 Picture Gallery". Ghana Book Trust. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  26. ^ "Burt Award For African Literature - 2011 Winners For Ghana". Accra Books And Things. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
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