The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for
Literature has announced the shortlist of 11 drawn
from 202 books in the running for the 2021 edition
of the prize.

The 11 books on the shortlist, in alphabetical order
by the title of the book, are:

1. Delusion of Patriots, Obianuju V. Chukwuorji

2. Give Us Each Day, Samuel Monye

3. Imminent River, Anaele Ihuoma

4. In The Name of Our Father, Olukorede S. Yishau

5. Mountain of Yesterday, Tony Nwaka

6. Neglected, Lucy Chiamaka Okwuma

7. The Colours of Hatred, Obinna Udenwa

8. The Girl with The Louding Voice, Abi Dare

9. The Return of Half- Something, Chukwudi Eze

10. The Son of The House, Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-
Onuobia

11. Your Church My Shrine, Law Ikay Ezeh

The list was presented by the Chairman, Panel of
Judges for this year’s Nigeria Prize for Literature,
Professor Toyin Jegede, who is a professor of
Literature in English at the University of Ibadan.

The other judges are Prof. Tanimu Abubakar and Dr
Solomon Azumurana. Professor Abubakar is a
Professor of Literature in the Faculty of Art, Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria. Dr Azumurana is a Senior
Lecturer in the Department of English at the
University of Lagos.

The judges described the shortlist as fresh
approaches to looking at issues, using new and
exciting narrative strategies, techniques and well-
written organic plots to present topical discussions in
realistic ways.

The judges stated that there has been a visible
improvement in writing skills and commended
Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG , (founder and
sponsors of the prize), for giving writers the
platform to blossom and experiment.

As in the past, The Nigeria Prize for Literature,
Africa’s biggest reward for creative excellence, will
be keenly contested.
According to the Chairperson of the prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, the Board unanimously agreed that the shortlist of 11 was an excellent list.

She expressed her appreciation to the judges for a
thorough job in selecting the shortlist. She stated
that excellence was the watchword of the prize,
adding that the onus was on the Advisory Board to
continue in the tradition that was handed to them by
the past Board.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature has since 2004
rewarded eminent writers such as Gabriel Okara (co-
winner, 2005, poetry) for The Dreamer, His Vision;
Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto, for his volume of poetry,
Chants of a Minstrel (co-winner, 2005, poetry);
Ahmed Yerima (2005, drama) for his classic, Hard
Ground; Mabel Segun (co-winner, 2007, children’s
literature) for her collection of short plays Reader’s
Theatre; Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-
winner, 2007, children’s literature) with her book,
My Cousin Sammy; Kaine Agary with her book,
Yellow Yellow (2008, prose); Esiaba Irobi (2010,
drama) who clinched the prize posthumously with
his book Cemetery Road; Adeleke Adeyemi (2011,
children’s literature) with his book The Missing
Clock; Chika Unigwe (2012, prose), with her novel,
On Black Sister’s 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); Soji Cole with his play, Embers (2018,
drama); and Jude Idada with his book, Boom, Boom
(2019, Children Literature).

The Nigeria Prize for Literature runs concurrently
with the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism (also
sponsored by NLNG), for which four entries were
received in 2020. The literary criticism prize carries
a monetary value of N1 million.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly
amongst four literary categories – prose fiction,
poetry, drama, and children’s literature.
A shortlist of three is expected in September. A
winner, if any, will be announced by the Advisory
Board in October.

Eyono Fatayi-Williams
General Manager, External Relations and
Sustainable Development
Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG)


Jude Idada, winner of the 2019 Nigeria Prize for
Literature.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/artsbooks/471607-eleven-authors-in-contention-for-100000-the-nigeria-prize-for-literature.html

Congrats to whoever wins

Congratulobia congratulations lolz to them writers shortlisted (Finalists).
Not going for it was my undoing ....Was tipped by a close associate in NLNG but was preoccupied with my Online projects ...

Writing is an art only a creative minded can manipulate words to living writeups that creates a long lasting experience in the minds of those that go through it.

However what most good writers lack is the creative ability to monetize the skill.
If you are a writer and yet earning with it online then reach out via the facebook Id on my profile for a mentorship exposé....you may be required a token fee to make up for time spent on you rather than used to progress on writing jobs.

@JoeCool3150 hope you've started progressing on making sure you start earning with your writing ability / skill.

@Seniorwriter

In as much as I don’t wanna sound a tribal bigot, the Northerners are making it hard for one not to be, based on their born to rule mentality and absence from this list.

This is a kind of prize we all have to be competing for, not terrorism, illiteracy, ritual, drug pushing, body part harvesting, child trafficking, thuggery or banditry

Best of luck to all the contenders. Mynd44

These are guys that our system should be building and encouraging. Their impact will promote a knowledge based economy. But our leaders encourage mediocrity, while our people celebrate nudism on social media and promote retards as celebrities.