Two Nigerians in Etisalat Prize for Literature final three

Is this the year that a Nigerian would win the Etisalat Prize for Literature? From the shortlist revealed Thursday, pundits might be optimistic with two Nigerians making the shortlist of three for the first time since the competition sponsored by Nigerian telecom giants, Etisalat started in 2013 as a “pan-African flagship literary prize.” In the […]

Is this the year that a Nigerian would win the Etisalat Prize for Literature?

From the shortlist revealed Thursday, pundits might be optimistic with two Nigerians making the shortlist of three for the first time since the competition sponsored by Nigerian telecom giants, Etisalat started in 2013 as a “pan-African flagship literary prize.”

In the final running for the prize are Jacqui L’Ange (South Africa) The Seed Thief  (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa), Jowhor Ile (Nigeria) And After Many Days (Kachifo Limited, Nigeria), and Julie Iromuanya (Nigeria) Mr & Mrs Doctor (Coffee House Press, USA).

Announcing the shortlist, this year’s Chair of Judges, Helon Habila said, “In addition to originality of voice and literary excellence, our purpose was to also select a work that portrays an “African sensibility”.

Helon Habila, a Caine Prize winner and author of novels including Measuring Time and Oil on Water is joined on the judging panel by South African writer and novelist Elinor Sisulu and Ivorian writer and Africa 39 Laureate, Edwige Renée Dro.

The three shortlisted writers emerged from a longlist of nine novels released in November 2016 with the only other Nigerian on the list, Elnathan John with his novel Born on a Tuesday not making the final cut.

Since its inception in 2013, this is the first time there will be more than one Nigerian on the shortlist, with previous winners emerging from Zimbabwe (Noviolet Bulawayo, 2013 with ‘We Need New Names’), South Africa (Songeziwe Mahlangu with ‘Penumbra’, 2014) and last year saw DR Congo’s Fiston Mwanza Mujila claiming the 2016 prize with Tram 83.

The winner of the Prize, to emerge at a grande finale in March in Lagos, will receive £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, an Etisalat sponsored book tour to three African countries as well an Etisalat-sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia, mentored by Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland. 

In addition, all the shortlisted writers will also enjoy a sponsored multi-city book tour while Etisalat will also purchase 1,000 copies of their books for distribution to schools, libraries and book clubs across Africa with the objective of promoting the reading culture and the publishing industry at large.

Commenting on the success of the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, commended the judges for their diligence in selecting the top three books out of the tens of titles that were received following the call for entry.

“This is by no means a simple task. The role of the judges is quite enormous and we want to thank them for the attention and dedication to the entire review process which birthed the top three finalists,” he said.

The Etisalat Prize for Literature is the first pan-African Prize that celebrates debut African writers of published book-length fiction. It is open solely to debut fiction writers from African countries resident anywhere in the world. Now in its fourth year, it is acknowledged as the most prestigious literary prize for African fiction. The Etisalat Prize for Literature also incorporates an award for Flash Fiction, which is an online-based competition for non-published African writers of short stories.

Similar the prize has announced that distinguished novelist and academic, Sarah Ladipo Manyika will be joining acclaimed writer Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana); Pulitzer Prize Winner Dele Olojede (Nigeria); editor, critic and 2015 Man Booker Prize Judge, Ellah Wakatama Allfrey, OBE (British/Zimbabwe); editor, writer, broadcaster, consultant and co-founder of Allison & Busby, Margaret Busby, OBE (British); and novelist, poet and playwright Zakes Mda (South Africa) on as a patron of the prize.