Education
By Anthony Isibor.
THE Advisory Board for the Nigeria Prize for Literature on Friday announced 11 books drawn from the 287 books running for the 2022 edition of the prize.
The draw of 11, which is the first stage in a series of stages towards getting a winner for the biggest literary prize in Africa, will be competing for a grand cash prize of 100,000 dollars.
According to the press statement by Godson Dienye, Acting General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, the list was presented to Professor Sule Emmanuel Egya, a professor of African Literature and Cultural Studies at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State and the Advisory Board by the Chairman, Panel of Judges for this year’s prize.
It also announced that a shortlist of three will be released in September, while a winner, if any, will be announced by the Advisory Board in October.
Recall that the 2022 edition Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited NLNG, had in April received 287 entries, which were handed over to the panel of judges by the Chair of the Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo.
The list of 11 books in alphabetical order as announced by the board is:
Augusta’s Poodle by Ogaga Ifowodo.
Coming Undone As Stitches Tighten by Iquo DianaAbasi.
Dispossessed by James Eze.
Ife Testament by Olusegun Adekoya.
Memory and the Call of Waters by S. Su’eddie Agema.
Nomad by Romeo Oriogun.
The Lilt of The Rebel by Obari Gomba.
The Love Canticles by Chijioke Amu Nnadi.
Wanderer Cantos by Remi Raji.
Yawns and Belches by Joe Ushie.
Your Crib, My Qibla by Saddiq Dzukogi.
The Judges described the long list of 11 as the best of contemporary Nigerian Poetry, rich in experimentation with language, style and theme.
Accepting the recommended long list, the Advisory Board commended the thorough work done by the judges. Reacting on behalf of the Board, Professor Akachi Adimora- Ezeigbo, the chairman, said the quality of work in the list shows that a lot of scrutiny and work went into selecting deserving poets, who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their submissions.
The Judges will also continue adjudication on the 87 entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, which runs concurrently with The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The literary criticism prize carries a monetary value of N1 million.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary categories – prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature.
Other judges are Toyin Adewale-Gabriel and Dike Chukwumerije. Adewale-Gabriel is a Poet and fiction writer. Dike Chukwumerije is a Spoken Word and Performance Poet and an award-winning author.
A.I
Tags: Godson Dienye Nigeria LNG Limited Nigeria Prize for Literature Professor Sule Emmanuel Egya
