Three shortlisted for Wole Soyinka award
Three finalists have been shortlisted for the fifth edition of Africa's most prestigious prize in literature, the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.
Organiser of the award and founder of Lumina Foundation, Dr Ogochukwu Promise, announced the shortlisted finalists as Othuke Ominibohs (for the drama, Odufa), Akin Bello (Egbon of Lagos) and Toyin Abiodun (The Trials of Afonja).
The three finalists were selected from a group African authors including Soji Cole, Comfort Adesuwa Ero, Isaac Attah Ogezi, Moshood Oba, Mayowa Saja, and Wumi Raji.
They were selected from a total of 163 entries submitted from 17 African countries in the genre of drama, which is the focus of the 2014 edition.
The award is a biennial event staged to recognize the best literary work produced by an African.
It was established in 2005 to promote literary excellence in Africa and has since become the African equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
The ultimate winner of the $20 000 prize money will emerge from the three at the grand finale taking place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island on July 5.
Globacom is sponsoring this year’s edition.
“Our management decided to throw its weight behind this prize as a mark of honour for one of the world’s biggest literary giants, Professor Wole Soynika. Our deeply cherished Professor Soyinka is a huge inspiration to literature in Africa. He symbolizes excellence, which is what Globacom stands for,” said Kamaldeen Shonibare, Globacom’s Head of Corporate Sales.
A panel of five judges drawn from Uganda, South Africa, Mali, Nigeria and Algeria will decide the final winner.
Organiser of the award and founder of Lumina Foundation, Dr Ogochukwu Promise, announced the shortlisted finalists as Othuke Ominibohs (for the drama, Odufa), Akin Bello (Egbon of Lagos) and Toyin Abiodun (The Trials of Afonja).
The three finalists were selected from a group African authors including Soji Cole, Comfort Adesuwa Ero, Isaac Attah Ogezi, Moshood Oba, Mayowa Saja, and Wumi Raji.
They were selected from a total of 163 entries submitted from 17 African countries in the genre of drama, which is the focus of the 2014 edition.
The award is a biennial event staged to recognize the best literary work produced by an African.
It was established in 2005 to promote literary excellence in Africa and has since become the African equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
The ultimate winner of the $20 000 prize money will emerge from the three at the grand finale taking place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island on July 5.
Globacom is sponsoring this year’s edition.
“Our management decided to throw its weight behind this prize as a mark of honour for one of the world’s biggest literary giants, Professor Wole Soynika. Our deeply cherished Professor Soyinka is a huge inspiration to literature in Africa. He symbolizes excellence, which is what Globacom stands for,” said Kamaldeen Shonibare, Globacom’s Head of Corporate Sales.
A panel of five judges drawn from Uganda, South Africa, Mali, Nigeria and Algeria will decide the final winner.
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