After a scintillating and well-received Book Party for the 11 semi-finalists, the Nigeria Prize for Literature Advisory Board announced the 2024 edition finalists in the first week of September.
The shortlist includes A Father’s Pride by Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmor, The Road Does Not End by Familoni Oluranti Olubunmi, and Wish Maker by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature carries a cash award of $100,000. Of 163 books entered for the competition, the finalists were adjudged the top contenders for the prize. This year’s focus is on Children’s Literature.
In July 2024, 11 selected works were released in a longlist and recognised by the Advisory Board. A panel of judges led by Professor Saleh Abdu of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, selected the shortlist of three. Other judges include Professor Vicky Sylvester and Dr. Osarobu Igudia.
Announcing the finalists, the Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, emphasised that the Advisory Board and the panel of judges prioritised excellence in selecting the shortlisted books and recognised the significant impact the Prize has on young Nigerians.
The Board stated: “A Father’s Pride by Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmo is a touching story that delves into the complex relationship between a father and his children, highlighting their struggles with love, forgiveness, and understanding. Written in clear and accessible language, it captures emotions that resonate deeply with readers.
The Road Does Not End by Familoni Oluranti Olubunmi addresses the critical issue of child labour in society. The book explores resilience and human connection themes, emphasising the importance of relationships and the need for continuous self-improvement.
“Wish Maker by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike is set in a riverine village and combines suspense, engagement, inspiration, and entertainment. It weaves moral lessons and elements of magic realism, captivating young readers. The Board praised its language and meticulous editing,” the Board concluded.
The Advisory Board will announce the winner on October 11, 2024. Professor Christopher Okemwa, a lecturer of poetry and drama at Kisii University, Kenya, serves as the International Consultant for the 2024 edition of the Prize. He is an award-winning author in Children’s Literature. Professor Okemwa joins the panel of judges to determine the final verdict. Other members of the Advisory Board include Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima.
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In the last edition of the competition that focussed on the Children’s Literature genre in 2019, Mystery at Ebenezer Lodge by Dunni Olatunde, The Great Walls of Benin by O.T. Begho and Boom Boom by Jude Idada were announced in the Shortlist of Three. Idada edged the two authors out to win the Prize. In 2015, six authors were longlisted. They included The Golden Gift by Thelma Nwokeji, Chijike by Chinyere Obi-Obasi, A Place for Every Girl by Jaqueline Agweh, A Miracle for Daddy by Sunny Jack Obande, The House in the Tree by Chidinma Eze, and Didi Kanu and the Singing Dwarfs of the North by Jude Idada. There was no shortlist of three. No winner emerged that year.
Other authors who have made it to the shortlist were Ayodele Olofintuade (Eno’s Story), Chinyere Obi-Obasi (The Great Fall) and Adeleke “Mai Nasara” Adeyemi (The Missing Clock – Winner) in 2011, and Mabel Segun (Reader’s Theatre: Twelve Plays for Young People, co-winner), Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (My Cousin Sammy, co-winner) and Sam and the Wallet by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike in 2007.
Children are featured in the Book Party for Children’s Literature Shortlist.
The presence of children added colour to the annual Book Party by the Committee for Relevant Art and the NLNG to serenade shortlisted authors and books for the Nigerian Prize for Literature ahead of the official reveal of the shortlist. It was an exciting evening.
Entries open for the £5000 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize team opened entries on 1 September for the next edition of the coveted prize. It will close on 1 November. It is for the 2025 edition.
Writers from every Commonwealth country aged 18 and over can submit an entry. The competition features unpublished short fiction of 2000-5000 words.
The Commonwealth stated, “An international judging panel of writers will select a shortlist of around twenty stories, from which five regional winners are chosen. One of the regional winners is then selected as the overall winner, who receives £5,000. The regional winners will receive £2,500. All five regional winning stories will be published on Granta .”
The Commonwealth Foundation says there are no setting, genre, or theme restrictions. They stated:
a. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual award for unpublished short fiction administered and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation.
b. The prize covers the Commonwealth regions of 1. Africa, 2. Asia, 3. Canada and Europe, 4. Caribbean, and 5. Pacific.
c. The international judging panel comprises one judge from each area. Please note that while the entries will be judged regionally, all judges will read and deliberate on entries from all regions.
d. There will be five winners, one from each region. One regional winner will be selected as the overall winner. The overall Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner will receive £5,000, and the remaining four regional winners £2,500. The translator will receive additional prize money if the winning short story is translated into English.
e. An international judging panel will judge the final selection; experienced readers will assist the named judges in selecting the longlist.
