Two Nigerians make Etisalat Prize for Literature long list

Two Nigerians, Ifeoluwapo Adeniyi and Chigozie Obioma, have made the long-list of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature consisting of nine books chosen from 100 titles. Etisalat Nigeria, sponsors of the prize, announced this in Lagos recently.  Adeniyi made the list for the novel ‘On the Bank of the River’ and Obioma for ‘The Fishermen.’ […]

Two Nigerians, Ifeoluwapo Adeniyi and Chigozie Obioma, have made the long-list of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature consisting of nine books chosen from 100 titles.
Etisalat Nigeria, sponsors of the prize, announced this in Lagos recently.  Adeniyi made the list for the novel ‘On the Bank of the River’ and Obioma for ‘The Fishermen.’ Six South Africans made the long-list with one from Democratic Republic of Congo.  
The selection was made by a three-member judging panel of Professor Ato Quayson as chair, Molara Wood, and Zukiswa wanner. Quayson described the subjects covered in the works as “fascinating and varied that it would take another novel just to describe them all. Magnificent!”
The judges now have the task of selecting a shortlist of three at a retreat in the Seychelles in December. The shortlisted writers will go on a multi-city sponsored tour to be announced next month and will also have 1,000 copies of their books purchased by Etisalat for distribution to schools, libraries and book clubs across the continent.
The winner of the prize will receive £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen and will attend an Etisalat sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia, mentored by Professor Giles Foden, author of ‘The Last King of Scotland.’
The Etisalat Prize launched in June 2013 is the first pan-African prize that is open solely to debut fiction writers of African citizenship.