Four Nigerians long listed for 9mobile Prize for Literature

NIGERIANS: Aniete Isong (Radio Sunrise), Ayobami Adebayo (Stay with Me), Odafe Atogun (Taduno’s Song) and Lesley Nneka Arimah (What It Means When a Man Falls Down From the Sky)  are among the nine writers that have made the long list of the 2018 edition of the 9mobile Prize for Literature.

The other long listed writers, according to the panel of jurors chaired by poet, writer and academic, Harry Garuba, are  Bronwyn Law (Viljoen- The Printmaker),  David Cornwell (Like It Matters),  Marcus Low (Asylum),  Mukuka Chipanta (A Casualty of Power) and  Qarnita Loxtan (Being Kari).

The writers, first time authors whose books were published within the last 24 months,   were selected from an array of authors from Africa who entered for the prize now in its fifth year.

Commenting on the list, Garuba said that the books entered for the 2018 contest testify to the abundance of talented new voices emerging from the African continent.

He said: “The entries range through a variety of themes and preoccupations that mirror the expanse and diversity of the continent. The care and craft that the authors bring to the exploration of their chosen themes show a level of skill and artistry not often found in first works of fiction. These works give us a glimpse of the exciting literary landscapes ahead for African fiction.”

Director, Brand and Experience, 9mobile, Elvis Ogiemwanye also expressed his delight at reaching this stage of the prize  and commended the judges, saying “the Prize is what it is today because of the independence and competence of the judging panel, whose rich and varied experience boosts the entire process.”

He also revealed that this edition of the Prize marked the fifth year the telecommunications company had sustained the platform that celebrates the richness and strength of African literature, which the 9mobile Prize for Literature is designed to promote.

Going forward,  Garuba and the other two judges,  writers Doreen Baingana and  Siphiwo Mahala, will screen the books further  to arrive at the shortlist of three ahead of the grand finale/award ceremony in 2018.

The shortlisted writers will have copies of their books purchased by 9mobile for distribution to schools, libraries and book clubs across Africa, while the winner receives £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, and a 9mobile-sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia, where he/she will be mentored by Professor Giles Foden, internationally renowned literature teacher and author of The Last King of Scotland.