INGWAZI yakuleli, uGcina Mhlophe, igubha usuku lokuzalwa ngokuqhakambisa ubuhle namagugu ase-Afrika ngeNozincwadi International Storytelling Festival eLuthuli Museum eGroutville, KwaDukuza namhlanje (ngoLwesihlanu) ngo-9 ekuseni.
UGcina, ongumxoxi wezinganekwane odume umhlaba wonke, uqeda iminyaka ewu-66 azalwa njengoba abona ilanga ngo-Okthoba 24, 1958.
Kwakuwu-2015 ngesikhathi uGcina ememezela ukuthi umhla ka-24 Okthoba uyoba wusuku lokuxoxwa kwezinganekwane ezweni lonke.
Yingakho njalo ngonyaka inkampani yakhe, iGcinamasiko Arts & Heritage Trust, ihlale iba nale ndumezulu yomcimbi ohanjelwa ngamaciko avela emazweni ahlukahlukene.
Kuphela iminyaka ewu-16 uGcina asungula umkhankaso obizwa ngeNozincwadi Mother of Books Literacy Campaign, asuke evuselela ngawo ugqozi nofuqufuqu emacikweni emikhakha ehlukahlukene.
Uthe wagqugquzelwa wuninakhulu owayengakwazi ukufunda nokubhala.
Uninakhulu, owayeqoqa izincwadi bese ezipakisha kahle kwi-suitcase, sengathi wayazi ukuthi kunomzukulu oyosebenzisa izincwadi njengesikhali sokukhulula abantu emaketangeni obandlululo.
UGcina ugqugquzela abantu base-Afrika ukuba bakhuthazwe futhi banikezwe ithuba lokuqhakambisa ubuciko babo.
"Abantwana be-Afrika kumele bakhule ngothando. Bacule , badlale, basine, bafunde, futhi baxoxe izindaba."
UGcina uthe lo mkhosi uhanjelwa, ikakhulukazi abafundi nothisha basezikoleni ezihlukahlukene, izinkampani, izinhlangano zomphakathi, izikhulu zemitapo yezincwadi namaciko.
Kulo nyaka uhanjelwe ngamaciko aliqhamukisa e-Uganda, Kenya, Chile (South America), Rhode Island (USA), Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng naseNortnern Cape.
Lolu chungechunge luqale ngo-Okthoba 17 njengoba imbenge yalo isongwa ePlayhouse, eThekwini ngoMgqibelo.
Kwenzeka lokhu nje kulo nyaka ngoMeyi uGcina uhlonishwe ngeziqu zobudokotela emkhakheni wePhilosophy, Fine Arts and Performing Arts yiDurban University of Technology.
Kule nyanga lo qolothakamango ubuye wahlabana ngomklomelo weBest Podcast of the Year kumaDStv Content Creator Awards ngohlelo alwethula kwi-East Coast Radio i-African Story Magic with Gcina Mhlophe nakuma-African Genius Awards ngamagalelo akhe ekuthuthukisweni komkhakha wokuxoxwa kwezinganekwane nezindaba zase-Afrika.