Under the chairmanship of Prof. Kofi Anyidoho, a renowned Ghanaian poet, literary critic, writer, and head of the department of English of the University of Ghana, the 12-member Jury is to select the best African writer or illustrator of children's literature for consideration for the award of the world's largest prize for children's literature.

Members of the Jury include Mr Mamadou Traore Diop, a Senegalese poet, General Secretary of the Senegal Writers' Association and Deputy Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers' Association; Ms Elieshi Lema, Tanzanian writer, publisher and PAWA Vice-President for East Africa; Mr Odia Ofeimun, Nigeria poet, literary critic and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ms Lisa Combrinck, a South African poet, former Vice-President of the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW) and Director of Media Research at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria, South Africa; Mr Vincent Okunor, poet, linguist, lawyer, retired Director of the Ghana Institute of Languages and former President of the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW), Prof. Justin Mintsa, Cameroonian novelist, Honorary President of the Cameroon Association of Writers and lecturer at the Omar Bongo University.

The others include Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo, a distinguished short story writer, novelist and Founder/President of Mbaasem, and a retired professor; Mr Mohammed S. Eid, a critic, scriptwriter, Vice-President of the Egyptian Writers' Union and Under Secretary to the Egyptian Minister of Culture; Dr Festus Iyayi, a world-acclaimed Nigerian novelist, short story writer, former Deputy General Secretary of the Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA), the Projects Consultant of PAWA and lecturer in Business Administration at the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; Mr Getachew Bellete, an Ethiopian poet, short story writer, novelist, journalist and President of the Ethiopian Writers' Association and Mr Winston Dawson, A Ghanaian illustrator.

The Jury was set up by the Pan African Writers' Association (PAWA) following the selection of PAWA by the Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs to perform the role of a nominating body for Africa for the Award.

The Award, bearing the prize money of five million Swedish crowns (approximately US$655,000), is the second-largest literature prize in the world.

Commissioning the Jury, Secretary-General of PAWA Prof. Atukwei Okai revealed that the response to PAWA's call for the submission entries for the Award has been overwhelming considering the short time for the submission, adding that entries had been received in the following languages: English, French, Amharic, Asante-Twi, Arabic and Swahili.

Prof. Okai expressed the hope that notwithstanding the large number of entries, relative to the deadline for the Jury to submit its report, the Jury would be equal to the task.

Responding, Prof. Anyidoho, on behalf the Jury, thanked PAWA for the honour done them and affirmed the commitment of the Jury to handle its task in a manner that would make Africa proud.