As part of the preparations for the grand finale of the 2021 edition of the Nigeria Prize for Literature (NPL), the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) and Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) are set to hold a joint ‘Book Party’ in honour of the 11 novelists shortlisted for this year’s edition of the Nigeria Prize for Literature.
The book party, which has held since 2009, according to a statement signed by Feyisayo Adelakun, CORA’s programme officer, is scheduled for 3pm on August 8, 2021 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos and will also afford members of the public the opportunity to interact with the authors on their shortlisted works.
Also speaking on the book party, Eyono Fatai-Williams, general manager, external relations and sustainable development, NLNG, explained that the party would also help to promote reading culture, especially among young Nigerians, engage relevant publics in literature, academia, and the media and stimulate public interest in the longlisted works and the NPL.
The statement also noted that the winner for this year’s edition will go home with the prize of $100,000; which unarguably, Africa’s biggest reward for creative excellence.
Commenting on the prize, Jahman Anikulapo, Programme Chair of CORA, said it is a significant amount of money in anyone’s account. However, he noted that CORA is looking beyond the money to the opportunity for creating an economy around the book trade.
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Anikulapo takes the credit as the initiator of the idea of the book party during a review of the first five years of the award in 2009.
Anikulapo, a former editor of The Guardian on Sunday, says that CORA believes “that a full ecosystem of the book trade is still possible in spite of the age of twitter, that we can have robust, publishing, book clubs, authors’ appearances to audiences to read everywhere from Okokomaiko to Maitama; bookshops in traditional markets, in shopping malls, online sales of ebooks and audiobooks, active proliferation of book blogs, book reviews everywhere; libraries in every corner from Ajangbadi to Kaura Namoda; indeed, as the distinguished Poet Odia Ofeimun once said: the Cocacolanisation of Books is still possible”.
Offering more details on the event, the statement noted that the August 8 book party will start at 3pm, end at 6pm, and will also be both physical and virtual.
As well, the 11 writers on the longlist will be expected to join the party physically, while provision would be made for those abroad to join virtually.
Meanwhile, the 11 novels shortlisted for the 18th NPL include: Delusion of Patriots by Obianuju V. Chukwuorji; Give Us Each Day by Samuel Monye; Imminent River by Anaele Ihuoma; In The Name of Our Father by Olukorede S. Yishau; Mountain of Yesterday by Tony Nwaka, and Neglected by Lucy Chiamaka Okwuma.
Others are; The Colours of Hatred by Obinna Udenwa; The Girl with The Louding Voice by Abi Dare; The Return of Half- Something by Chukwudi Eze; The Son of The House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia, and Your Church, My Shrine by Law Ikay Ezeh.
CORA also commended the shortlisted authors for making the cut while disclosing that about 202 entries were received for this year’s edition of the annual contest.
