2023 Quramo Writers’ Prize longlist unveiled

THE 2023 Quramo Writers’ Prize (QWP) longlist worth N1 million with a publishing contract has been unveiled.

The unveiling happened last week in Lagos, with 20 writers making the list.

Writers longlisted for the prize for unpublished African authors include Husna Yussif, Obinna Paul Ezeodili, Oluwasegun Odetola, Chidi Nwakpa, Emmanuel Chukwunweike Monyei, Zainab U. Imam and Bisola Faith Akintomide.

The others are Mujahid Ameen Lilo, Chiziterem Chijioke, David Vera Sorochi, Grace Aggrey-Fynn and Ishaokanyie Otogbo.

There’s also Sandra Uche Delumozie, Adejuwon Akande, Truth Bakare, Uduak Alphonsus Ikono, Chike Ibekwe, Darius Kwabena Partey, Chikezie Onwumere, and Chimezie Agumbah.

The Chief Executive Officer of Quramo Publishing, Mrs Gbemi Shasore, unveiled the 20 writers and handed their manuscripts to the jury comprising novelist and publisher Dr. Eghosa Imasuen (head), writer and literary critic Mrs Lechi Eke, and journalist and writer Mr. Anote Ajeluorou.

The trio will prune the longlist to five and release the writers’ manuscripts in September ahead of the Quramo Festival (Qfest) themed ‘Connecting the Dots’ in October at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The five authors will also be on a panel to discuss their works at Qfest 2023 to give people insight into their works in the build-up to the prize award.

The Quramo Writers’ Prize was launched in April 2017 for first-time African writers worldwide to submit short stories of 3,000 to 5,000 words.

In October 2017, the inaugural winner, Samuel Monye, was unveiled with his short story, ‘Give Us This Day’, which was then developed into a standard-length novella and released as ‘Give Us Each Day’ at QWP 2018. The novella was later longlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2021.

Open worldwide to unpublished Africans of any age, gender and nationality, the inaugural edition (QWP 2017) featured two award categories and a prize of ₦1m for each: The Quramo Writers’ Prize for young adults and adult fiction. The two recipients of the latter are Arshiya for ‘The Forgotten’ and Esohe Isabella Cole for her essay on “The World in 2030”.

Past recipients include Samuel Monye (‘Give Us Each Day’, 2017), Michael Emmanuel  (Running Waters, 2018), Vivian Ibe (‘What Dreams Are Made Of, 2019’) and  Alex Kadiri  (‘Sunshower’, 2020). Akintomiwa Akinnimi won in 2021 with ‘Looking Glass Bullet’ and Ibrahim Babatunde Ibrahim in 2022 with ‘The Giveaway Bride.’

Quramo has also published ‘Mirror on the Wall’ by Jesutofunmi Fekoya (2018 longlist), whose film adaptation is ongoing, ‘Guilty’ by Joan Thatiah (2019 runner-up) and ‘The Paths That Take Us’ by Aliyu Baba-Ari (2020 runner-up).

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