Oil & Gas
By Anthony Isibor.
ROMEO Oriogun has won the $100,000 Nigeria prize for literature award sponsored by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG.
Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chairperson of the Advisory Board, made the announcement on Friday, October 14, 2022 at the NLNG grand award dinner in Lagos, themed “Touching the Stars”.
Oriogun’s book, Nomad, was selected from among two other books; ‘Memory and the call for Water’ by Su’oddic Vershima Agema, and ‘Your crib, my Quibla’ by Saddiq Dzukogi, which all made it to the final round.
She also announced Dr. Sakiru Adebayo as the 2022 winner of the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, which has N1,000,000 as prize money.
The event also featured the public presentation of awards to Sakaru Adebayo, winner of the 2022 NLNG prize for Literary Criticism, Susan Peter Ayodeji, Muhydeen Oyekunle, Shehu Ado, Emmanuel Olatunji Olatomilola, joint winners of the 2022 prize for Science for their innovation in Gains in Grain Yield of Released Maize, Zea Mays L. Cultivars under Drought and Well-Watered Conditions, and Development of Process Plant for Plantain Flour.
According to the judges, the winning book, Nomad, stands out as the most technically accomplished, rendering the topical subject of migration in a language laced with lyrical figurations.
They stated that “the 67 poems in the collection were held together by a travel motif, marshalled in each poem with equal intensity, and linked to the African past, including the Middle Passage, and the African future.”
In his keynote address former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, stressed the critical roles Science and Literature play in national development.
Obasanjo said that Nigeria could attain greatness through a strong will to change the prevailing narrative and challenged the NLNG team to aim at making Nigeria the fourth gas producing country in the world.
According to him, Nigeria is, blessed beyond measure “in talents, capabilities, and resources”.
“The world has always been fast spinning into areas of scientific breakthroughs and innovations that aim to maintain high standards of living, while sustainably preserving the earth for generations yet unborn. But now, more than ever, there is a sweeping tide of energy transition and climate change mandates, medical advancements and applications, food security interventions to combat hunger, as well as measures to sustain life on earth.
“We can adopt world-class best practices, and leap with giant strides into the future. We can collaborate on exchanges of ideas and invest in research and development. We can focus on the education and mental development of our people so that we position the nation in the direction it should go.
“I speak to the political class, the administrators, business institutions and organisations, small and medium scale enterprises, the creative and content developers, leaders across all spheres of influence, the man or woman whose heart burns with passion for Nigeria’s good, and to the boy or girl, who is discovering his or her talents and gifts. May we all rise to that place of willingness and do so, collectively,” Obasanjo said.
In his welcome address, Philip Mshelbila, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, stated that the company sponsored the prizes to ensure that excellence takes a prominent position in creativity and innovation in the country.
He said that the 2022 theme of the Science prize, Innovations in Sustainable Food Security and the winners were a wake-up call for the country and Nigerians to take responsibility for food sustenance.
Mshelbila disclosed that leading publishing experts indicated that “poetry submissions have been unprecedented the world over”.
He said that NLNG, as a world-class company, was actively seeking its place in the future, adding that “it is focused on gaining strength within the energy transition landscape”.
“It really is the future of the world, and one for which NLNG should be rightly positioned, to bring Nigeria into that realm,” he added.
This year’s race for the literature prize started in February with the call for entries and the receipt of 287 entries in April from where 11 books were selected after a rigorous, painstaking, diligent analysis of the books by the 2022 panel of judges led by Professor Sule Emmanuel Egya.
Realnews reports that the event, which marked the closure of the keenly contested Africa’s most prestigious award, was set, as usual, in an ambiance of class with traditional dancers to welcome the guests to the event, while ace comedian and MC Alibaba thrilled them with jokes.
There was also a coral performance, orchestral playing to the tune of popular Nigerian and foreign songs.
The dignitaries, who attended the event included Adeleke Mamora Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Olu, Obafemi, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, the Amanyanabo of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom, Perekule XI; NLNG’s Deputy MD, Olalekan Ogunleye and Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo.
A.I
Tags: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Dr. Philip Mshelbila Nigeria prize for literature award NLNG Romeo Oriogun
