11 contenders for $100,000 Literature Prize

Eleven contenders are gunning for this years The Nigeria Prize for Literature, worth $100, 000.The prize is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited.The shortlist of 11 drawn from 173 books was announced by its Advisory Board on Thursday.The 11 books on the shortlist are:A Heros Welcome, Ndidi EnenmorBoom, Boom, Jude IdadaBuried Beneath the Baobab Tree, Adaobi Tricia NwaubaniDouble A for Adventure, Anisa Daniel-OnikoGinikas Adventures, Nnena OchicheIgho Goes to Farm, Anote AjeluorouMystery at Ebenezers Lodge, Dunni OlatundeObioma: A Girls Journey to Self-Discovery, Nkiru UzohShe Calls Him Daddy, Oladele MedaiyeseSpurred Surprises, Lami Adejoh OpawaleThe Great Walls of Benin, O. T. BeghoThe list was presented by the chairman, panel of judges for this years prize, Professor Obodimma Oha, professor of Cultural Semiotics and Stylistics in the Department of English, University of Ibadan.Other members of the panel of judges include Professor Asabe Usman Kabir, professor of Oral and African Literatures at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and Dr. Patrick Oloko, a Senior lecturer at the University of Lagos Nigeria who specialises in African postcolonial literature, gender and cultural studies.The prize rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and childrens literature. The 2019 prize is for childrens literature. Next years competition will focus on prose fiction, it was said.It has since 2004 rewarded eminent writers such as Gabriel Okara (co-winner, 2004, poetry), Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto (co-winner, 2004, poetry) for The Dreamer, His Vision; Ahmed Yerima (2005, drama) for his classic, Hard Ground; Mabel Segun (co-winner, 2007, childrens literature) for her collection of short plays Readers Theatre; Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 2007, childrens literature) with her book, My Cousin Sammy; Kaine Agary (2008, prose); Esiaba Irobi (2010, drama) who clinched the prize posthumously with his book Cemetery Road; Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, childrens literature) with his book The Missing Clock; Chika Unigwe (2012, prose), with her novel, On Black Sisters Street; Tade Ipadeola (2013, poetry) with his collection of poems, The Sahara Testaments; Professor Sam Ukala (2014, drama) with his play, Iredi War; Abubakar Adam Ibrahim with his novel Season of Crimson Blossoms (2016, prose); Ikeogu Oke with his collection of poetry, The Heresiad; (2017, poetry) and Soji Cole with his play, Embers (2018, drama).Nigeria LNG Limited restated its commitment to promoting the development of Nigeria literature through the prize.A shortlist of three is expected in September. A winner, if any, will be announced by the Advisory Board in October.
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