Atelewo Cultural Initiative announces N1m grand prize for fifth edition of Yoruba literature contest

The Atelewo Cultural Initiative has announced that the forthcoming fifth edition of the Yoruba Literature Prize will see the overall winner take home a grand prize of N1 million.

The fifth anniversary of the prize-giving, which was established to promote Yoruba literature and culture, is also to achieve Atelewo’s vision to preserve and rejuvenate the Yoruba language.

This announcement was revealed at a press conference organised by the Atelewo Cultural Initiative at the Leaders Hub, Bodija, Ibadan, on Saturday.

The event was attended by literary enthusiasts and culturel advocates.

The Atelewo prize for Yoruba Literature was instituted to address various challenges faced by creative writing in Yorùbá, such as the need for committed publishers, effective distribution, and the cultivation of invested readerships.

The prize aims to rejuvenate the vibrant, universally praised, and unquestionably rich Yorùbá literary culture, which boasts a heritage spanning over a century.

One of the founders of the initiative, Rasaq Malik Gbolahan, said: “We accept works in four categories —-poetry, prose, drama and translation —- and we are delighted to be launching the fifth edition, continuing our mission to promote Yoruba language, literature and cultural expression.

“Unlike the four previous editions where we usually have a grand prize winner and three other category winners who share the cash prize, this edition is special. We are only selecting one winner who will receive N1 million.

“This winner can be from any of the four established categories, that is poetry, prose, drama and translation.

“The submitted works must not have been published, whether physically or virtually, in any form whatsoever. All submissions must follow the laid down editorial guidelines and must be sent in before November 30, 2024.”

According to the organisers, previous winners from the past four editions of the prize are not eligible to contest.

“This rule ensures a level playing field for new and emerging voices in Yoruba literature, encouraging fresh talent and diverse contributions to the rich and vibrant Yoruba literary culture.

“We are currently launching the fifth edition, marking five uninterrupted years of administering the Prize,” said Ibrahim Oredola, another co-founder of the initiative.

He continued: “To us, this is a great milestone, and we are proud of the good work we are doing to promote Yoruba literature.

“This prize has, therefore,  grown to become a beacon of excellence in the Yoruba literary community, fostering a new generation of writers and thinkers.”

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