AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ESSAY COMPETITION: IHRAF UNVEILS JUDGES
The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), organizer of the African Human Rights Essay Competition has announced the selection of two judges for the ongoing Essay writing competition aimed at addressing human rights issues and promoting human rights culture and ethics in Africa.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan, the Coordinator of IHRAF in Africa, Wole Adedoyin disclosed that they have received outstanding entries from five different countries within Africa. The countries are: Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
To evaluate and select outstanding entries for the top prizes in the competition, the organizer of the African Human Rights Essay Competition has unveiled two distinguished individuals with diverse experiences and expertise in Essay Writing.
The two selected judges are Izunna Okafor and Tom Block.
Izunna Okafor is an award-winning Nigerian Novelist, Poet, Journalist, Essayist, Editor, Translator, Publicist, Igbo Language Activist and an Administrator who hails from Ebenator in Nnewi South L.G.A of Anambra State Nigeria.
He is graduate from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, where he studied Public Administration. He also holds O.N.D in Public Administration from the same school.
A published and best-selling author, Izunna has written globally applauded books. He is the author of: 'Ikem's Adventure' (his first book) published in Nigeria in 2012, during his secondary school; 'The Curse of A Widow' (his second book), published in 2013; 'The Faithful Children' (his third book), published in 2014, and received outstanding recognition in the Ezenwa Ohaeto Prize for Young Nigerian Novelists 2015; 'Ajo Enyi,' his debut Igbo novel and fourth book, published in 2015.
With 'Ajo Enyi', he won the 2015/2016 Nigerian Writers Award/Indigenous Writer of the Year; the 2015 Society of Young Nigerian Writers Award/Pita Nwanna Award for Igbo Literature; and also got shortlisted for the 2015 Young Nigerian Writer of The Year, and the 2017 Nigerian Writers Award.
His other books include "African Blood" (A Short Story), "Nzúzù M Egbuo M," (Igbo novel), "Educated Illiterate," and "Teach Me Grammar."
He has been published in many magazines, anthologies, journals, etc, both nationally and internationally; has thousands of articles/essays as well as poems and short stories published online to his credit.
A diglot writer, Izunna writes perfectly in Igbo and English languages and has published widely in both languages.
He has won and been nominated for many awards which include: The Nigerian Writers Award/Indigenous Writer of the Year 2015/2016; Pita Nwana Prize for Igbo Literature 2015; Society of Young Nigerian Writers Award Nigeria; Heritage Icon Award/Young Writer of the Year Federal Republic of Nigeria 2016; Merit Award from the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (2016); Award of Recognition from Students Union Government, Unizik (2017); Nigerian Writers Award/Young Writer of the Year 2015/2016; N.Y.S.C. Essay Competition 2012; SLAM Hero Youth International Award/Innovative Youth of the Year 2016; Anambra Exclusive Youth Choice Award/Youth Writer of the Year 2016; Award of Academic Excellence from The National Association of Public Administration Students (2016); Inspire Award /Outstanding Youth in Academics 2017; NAPAS Academic Icon of the Year 2017; Anambra Campus Award 2017/Campus Writer of the Year 2017; Award of Excellence from the Society of Young Nigerian Writers 2016; Anambra Exclusive Youth Choice Award/Outstanding Youth of the Year 2017; Youth Writer of the Year 2016 NAPAS Essay Competition 2017; Starlett Entertainment Award/Creative Writer of the Year 2016; Young Author Award, 2018;Creative Crew Africa/Young Talent of the Year 2018, among others; Campus Best Writer 2018/Campus Best Journalist of the Year 2018; Best Secretary General of NAPAS (2018);Young Achievers Award/Best Young Writer of the Year 2019; National Light Staff of the Year 2019; Anambra Media Excellence Award/News Reporter of the Year 2019; Recognition Award, Anambra Through A Lens, 2020; He also has numerous Certificates of Merit, Award, Recognition, the most recent of which include:; Certificate of Recognition from the ImpactField Global Initiative (2018); Certificate of Award from the Applex Art and Creative Crew Africa (2018); Certificate of Completion for the SprinNG Advancement Fellowship, 2020; Certificate of Participation, Naija Haiku Poetry Workshop, 2020, among others.
At the age of 21, Izunna was nominated for The Future Award Africa 2016/African Prize For Education, which is one of the biggest and most prestigious African youths awards.
He has been published in many literary magazines, anthologies, websites, and newspapers, and many other platforms.
Aside being a creative writer, Izunna is also an Igbo Language Activist who has played and continued to play great roles in sustaining and promoting Igbo Language and culture. He preaches and takes the 'gospel' of Igbo language and the need for its sustenance to every nook and cranny, ranging from schools to churches, radio/television stations, and to other public places, being part if his own contribution and strategic measures to ensure that the Igbo Language does not go extinct as predicted by the UNESCO in 2012.
He has also been featured in many radio and television stations across the country on this mission.
In addition to these, Izunna is also a renowned journalist and columnist currently working with Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation, the publishers of National Light Newspaper, Ka Ọ Dị Taa (which is the only Igbo Language Newspaper in Nigeria) and Sportslight Xtra.
He also writes for Igbo Radio which is an online Igbo Language news hub with its headquarter in Canada, and also freelance for other media/publishing houses, both the online and print media.
Izunna is the Coordinator of Society of Young Nigerian Writers, Anambra State Chapter, which is a literary body that hosts Chinua Achebe Literary Festival, which is an annual literary event held in memory and honour of Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, since 2016.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology which is an international anthology annually published in honour of Achebe.
In April, 2020, Izunna was appointed the Project Coordinator, Writers Against COVID-19 Movement. He is the editor of the COVID-19 Poetry/Essay Anthology, titled 'Ripostes of Locked Down Voices', which is the first international anthology of poems and essays on COVID-19.
He is also an alumnus and 2020 Fellow of the SprinNG Advancement Fellowship, being championed by the SprinNG Literary Movement.
He edits and publishes an annual Special Valentine Poetry Collection, which are all available online for free download. During his undergraduate days, he was part of the editorial team of the FAMASSA Magazine.
He is Ambassador of TFA Africa in Nigeria; the ambassador of Read Across Nigeria in Anambra State.
An alumnus of Unizik, he is also a former Secretary General of the National Association of Public Administration Students (NAPAS), as well as the current National Secretary General of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers.
In 2019, Izunna met and discussed literature with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, at a literary evening that climaxed the 2019 Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop, organized by the international literary figure, Adichie.
Tom Block is a playwright, author of five books and 20+ year visual artist. His plays have been developed and produced at such venues as the Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, IRT Theater, Theater at the 14th Street Y, Theater Row, A.R.T.-NY and many others. He was the founding producer of the International Human Rights Art Festival (2017), the Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival (2010) and a Research Fellow at DePaul University (2010). He has exhibited his artwork and spoken about his ideas throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. www.tomblock.com
The longlist of 15 outstanding entries are expected to be announced on the 10th of April, 2021.