As Company Tables $110, 000 For Literary Prowess

L-R: Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, Manager, Corporate Comms. & Public Affairs (NLNG); Prof. Ahmed Yerima, The Nigeria Prize for Literature (NPL) Advisory Board member; Prof. Olu Obafemi, NPL Board member; Andy Odeh, GM, External Relations & Sustainable Development (NLNG) look on as the Chair of the Prize’s Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo hands over 2024 entries of the prize to Panel of Judges’ chairman, Professor Saleh Abdu and other members, Dr. Igudia Osarobu and Professor Vicky Sylvester.

The Nigerian literary community is again agog as the 163 entries have so far  been received by the advisory Board Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), has received one hundred and sixty-three (163) entries for the 2024 edition which have been handed over  the  judges for the commencement of the adjudication process.

The General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr Andy Odeh who stood in for NLNG Management, handed over the entries to the Chair of the Prize Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, who, in turn, handed over the entries to the judges carefully selected to oversee this year’s Literature Prize Award process.

Mr Odeh lauded the achievements that have been recorded by Nigerian writers in the past 20 years of running the Prize.

His words “This handover of entries is a celebration of the commitment and hard work put forth by every participant. It is a reminder of the importance of fostering a culture that encourages innovation, critical thinking, and artistic expression. It is also an opportunity for us to recognize the dedication and support of those who have mentored and guided these individuals, providing them with the resources and inspiration to achieve greatness,” he said.

The Prize rotates yearly amongst four literary categories: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s Literature.
The Advisory Board also handed over 24 entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism.

While the Literature Prize, which is now in its 20th year, has a cash prize of $100, 000, the Literary Criticism Prize has a prize money of $10,000, making a total of $110, 000 prize money donated by NLNG for literature development in Nigeria

Advisory Board 

This year’s Advisory board, is chaired by Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo. She works alongside  Prof. Olu Obafemi and Prof. Ahmed Yerima as members of the Board.

Judges

Professor Saleh Abdu chairs the panel of judges for this year’s Literature Prize and the Literary Criticism competition. Professor Abdu is an English professor at the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State. He has taught courses mostly in Literature at various levels. He also served at Bayero University Kano and Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, as Head of Department (HOD), Faculty Sub-Dean, Dean of Faculty, Chair of Senate, Management and Council Committees. He has authored and co-authored several books, including Poet of the People
Republic: Reading the Poetry of Niyi Osundare (2003).

Other panel members include Professor Vicky Sylvester and Dr. Igudia Osarobu,  a writer who has been teaching at the Department of English, University of Abuja. Her prolific writing career has produced numerous award-
winning novels, poems, and academic works. Dr. Osarobu is a Doctor of Philosophy at the Department of Library Archival Information Studies, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Consultant

Professor Christopher Okemwa, a lecturer of poetry and drama at Kisii University, Kenya, serves as the International Consultant for the 2024 edition of the Prize. He has published over 10 children’s books, winning the 2015 Canadian Burt Award for African Literature (Kenya) with one of the books. He is the founder and director of
KICHLA (Kistrech Children’s Literature Association) of Kenya.

Transmission

The 163 entries for 2024 Literature Prize were handed over to  Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo who handed same to Professor Saleh Abdu.

“Literature is a powerful tool that can drive development in our society. I thank NLNG for sustaining the prize over the last 20 years. As we begin the adjudication process for this year’s Nigeria Prize for Literature, I urge the judges to use this opportunity to elevate literature and bring it to the forefront of the development discourse in Nigeria.  The entries we have received are a testament to the vibrant literary scene in the country, and we hope to see a winner that truly represents the best of Nigerian literature.” Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, said

Previous Winners

Past winners in the Children’s Literature genre include Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (2007), author of the joint-winning book My Cousin Sammy; Mabel Segun (2007) with her book Readers Theatre: Twelve Plays for Young People; Mai Nasara (2011) who clinched the Prize with his book The Missing Clock; and Jude Idada (2019) with his book, Boom Boom.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature is Africa’s  most prestigious literary award, and the increase in entries for the children’s literature cycle highlights the growing interest in Nigerian Literature. With this year’s edition particularly competitive, the judges and Advisory Board have their work cut out to select a deserving winner.