Quramo Prize unveils 2019 finalists

Quramo Writers Prize, an award celebrating unpublished writers, announced its 2019 finalists in Lagos this week. The list of 15 includes Oyedeji Emmanuel Toluwani for ‘Up Nepa’, Jaiyeola Temitayo Tomiwa (‘I’ll be Fine’), Golbador Joseph (‘Let Me Paint You a Picture’) Amaranjo Chigozie (‘Nigerian Dream’) and Osuizugbe Adaeze Maureen (‘This Thing Called Marriage’). Also, Oni […]

Quramo Writers Prize, an award celebrating unpublished writers, announced its 2019 finalists in Lagos this week.

The list of 15 includes Oyedeji Emmanuel Toluwani for ‘Up Nepa’, Jaiyeola Temitayo Tomiwa (‘I’ll be Fine’), Golbador Joseph (‘Let Me Paint You a Picture’) Amaranjo Chigozie (‘Nigerian Dream’) and Osuizugbe Adaeze Maureen (‘This Thing Called Marriage’).

Also, Oni Oluwaseyi Faith for ‘30 Days To Seventeen’, Owoyemi Olorunfemi Akinade (The Familiar Jungle Called Life), Udochukwu, Everest C. (‘The Shades of a thing Ugly’), Oluwaseyi Adebola (‘A Cluster of Petals (short stories’), Obinna Tony-Francis Ochem (‘Deep Ocean’), Wawira Thatiah – (‘Guilty’), Joan Ikem Cynthia Chinenyenwa (‘Twenty Sixty-One’), Ikechukwu Nwaogu (‘The Book of Lost Words’), Vivian Onyekachi Ibe (‘What Dreams are Made of’) and Cynthia Nnadi Nnenna (‘Red Grasses and Forbidden Quests’).

Founded in 2017 by Quramo Publishers, the award aims to encourage and stimulate a new community of talented writers, providing an opportunity for otherwise unexposed talent to achieve publishing recognition and encouragement. Previous winners have been Samuel Monye (2017) and Michael Emmanuel (2018).

In May this year, the prize to be judged by Toni Kan, Molara Wood, and A. Igoni Barrett, for the first-time sought entries from writers across Africa.

Toni Kan, who is head of the jury said, “we received over 400 entries this year. The manuscripts bear testament to a ferment in the Nigerian and African literary landscape. We are convinced that there is a large pool of young literary talent in the country and on the continent, who will ensure that our literature remains alive and vibrant for years to come. My co-judges, Molara Wood and A. Igoni Barrett, are glad to present a shortlist of 15 manuscripts of varying lengths.”

Commenting on the shortlist, Quramo Writers Prize founder and Executive Publisher at Quramo Publishing, Mrs. Gbemi Shasore said, “it is always exciting to read and review new writings, and discover new authors. This is the gift and challenge of promoting the Quramo Writers’ Prize. We are absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming response and quality of submissions this year, a wide variety of talent not just from Nigeria, but from other African countries. I am excited as we count down to crowning a new winner who will go home with N1m and a possibility of having their manuscript published by Quramo Publishing.”

The prize will be awarded on December 15, 2019, at the grand finale of the 3-day Quramo Festival of Words (QFest) which will feature workshops, panel discussions, documentary screenings, open mic sessions, and more.