Judging of 2023 The Nigeria Prize for Literature begins

From left, Acting Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs (NLNG), Yemi Adeyemi; The Nigeria Prize for Literature Advisory Board member, Prof. Ahmed Yerima; Board member Prof. Olu Obafemi; General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development (NLNG), Andy Odeh; Chair of the Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo hand over 2023 entries of the prize to Panel of Judge’s chairman, Professor Ameh Akoh and members, Prof. Osita Catherine Ezenwanebe and Dr Rasheedah Liman

THE adjudication process for the 2023 Nigeria Prize for Literature began on Wednesday with the handover of entries to the advisory board and judges.

143 entries were received for the prize sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and awarded for drama this year. There were 89 entries the last time it went to drama in 2018.

At the handover of 143 drama entries and 13 entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism to the Chair of the Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh affirmed trust in the assessors.

He emphasised the importance of the dedicated website for the three prizes – The Nigeria Prize for Literature, the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, and the Nigeria Prize for Science – being the only platform for information regarding the prizes, winners, and the adjudication process.

“The Prize serves as a stimulus for Nigerian writers to strive for excellence, and we are proud to see an increase in entries this year for drama. We believe that through this Prize, we are promoting Nigerian literature and encouraging the growth of the literary industry in the country. We are confident that the judges and Advisory Board will do due diligence to produce a verdict based on merit and excellence. We hope to see a worthy winner at the end of the cycle,” he said.

Responding, Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo, who gave the entries to the judges, emphasised the importance of literature in driving development in Nigeria.

“Literature is a powerful tool that can drive development in our society. As we begin the adjudication process for this year’s Nigeria Prize for Literature, I urge the judges to use this opportunity to elevate literature and bring it to the forefront of the development discourse in Nigeria. The entries we have received are a testament to the vibrant literary scene in the country, and we hope to see a winner that truly represents the best of Nigerian literature,” she stated.

Professor of Drama and Critical Theory at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, Ameh Dennis Akoh, is the jury chair for this year’s prize. Professor Osita Catherine Ezenwanebe of the Creative Arts Department, University of Lagos and Dr Rasheedah Liman of the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, are the other two judges.

Professor Victor K. Yankah from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies, the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, is the International Consultant.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature worth $100,000 rotates annually among prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.

Past winners in the Drama category include Professor Ahmed Yerima (‘Hard Ground’, 2005); the late Professor EsiabaIrobi (Cemetery Road’, 2010); the late Professor Sam Ukala (Iredi War, 2014) and Soji Cole (Embers, 2018).

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