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

Ruby Yayra Goka (born 15 May 1982, Accra) is a Ghanaian dentist and author. She has 15 books to her credit and 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 Volta Regional Hospital, Ho.

Life

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 became a member of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2016 after completing her residency training at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi. She currently heads the Dental Department of the Volta Regional 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

Adult Books:

Young Adult Books:

Children Books:

  • A Gift for Fafa
  • Tani’s Wish (2016)
  • Mama’s Amazing Cover Cloth (to be published in 2018)
  • My First Visit to the Dentist (Co-authored with Richard Selormey. To be published in 2018)

Anthologies:

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

Awards

  • Medical Excellence Award – Dentist category (2017)
  • 40 under 40 award – Authorship and creative writing (2017)[7]
  • Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature (2017) (Finalist)
  • Ghana Writers’ Awards – Short Story Category (2017) (Finalist)[8]
  • Burt Award for African Young Adult (2017) (Honour Prize)[9]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2015) (First Prize)[10]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2014) (Second Prize)[11]
  • Burt Award for African Literature (2013) (First Prize)[12]
  • 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) [13]

References

  1. ↑ "Burt Award Winners". Ghana Book Trust. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "CODE Announces The Winner of The Burt Award For African Young Adult Literature All Stars". Burt Literary Awards. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "An Interview With Ghanaian Writer Ruby Goka". Geosi Reads. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Full List of Winners at 2017 Forty Under 40 Awards". Kasapa FM Online. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "40 Ghanaians Leave For YALI Programme in US". Citi FM Online. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Book Review: In The Middle of Nowhere". Graphic Online. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "2017 Nominees". 40under40awards. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Shortlisted Entries For 2017 Ghana Writers Announced". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "CODE's Burt Award For African Young Adult Literature". CODE Burt Literary Awards. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "Celebrating the Winners of the 2015-16 Burt Award for African Literature". CODE Burt Literary Awards. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Ghanaian Writers Pick Awards". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Burt Awards 2013 Picture Gallery". Ghana Book Trust. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Burt Award For African Literature - 2011 Winners For Ghana". Accra Books And Things. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
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