We have a shortlist for the Nigerian Prize for Literature 2014 ladies and gentlemen. For the uniformed The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year’s prize is for drama and comes with a cash prize of $100, 000.
The longlist was announced in July and it had a list of ten serious chaps (and chapesses) for some of the best writing coming out of Nigeria. The organizers seem to know something about organizing gigs as this year they feted the longlisted authors in a bash in Lagos.
The gloves were off now as the last shortlist was announced on Thursday with the guys in the running for Africa’s richest prize Friday John Abba (Alekwu Night Dance), Jude Idada (Oduduwa, King of the Edos) and Sam Ukala (Iredi War).
So who are these guys who are in the running for the US$100,000 and will become the writers most smiled at by hotties when they are out having a beer in Lagos for the next year (until the cash runs out)?
Friday John Abba, a playwright was Chairman of Kaduna Writers’ League and former Vice Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Playwright, theatre director, film producer and an academic, Sam Ukala was the Chairman, Delta State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). Ukala’s other published plays include The Slave Wife, The Log in Your Eye, Akpakaland and Break a Boil.
Jude Idada, a screen writer, filmmaker and dramatist, has published works in the three genres of literature. He is the author of Flood, Brixton Stories and Lost. He is also the winner of the 2013 Association of Nigerian Authors’ Prize for Drama with his book, Oduduwa: King of the Edos. Idada, who currently lives in Canada, is a graduate of Theatre Arts, from the University of Ibadan.
So you can see that these are serious guys in the running for this prize. According to the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, the eventual winner of the competition will be announced at a World Press Conference on 9th October, 2014. Prepare your smiles pretty ladies.
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[…] prize in African literature, US$100,000 which isn’t too shabby, we got a winner. Ukala beat other shortlistees Friday John Abba (Alekwu Night Dance) and Jude Idada (Oduduwa, King of the Edos) for the […]