The longlists for the African Writers Awards 2021 and the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature 2021 were announced on August 1, 2021.
The African Writers Awards were conceived by the African Writers Development Trust to shed light on some of the best-emerging writing talents on the continent. Some previous winners have been Manu Herbstein, Maryhilda Ibe, Chiamaka Onu-Okpara, and Benson Mugo in 2018; Eme Ogbu, Temani Nkalolang, Andrea B Matambo, and Priscillar Matara in 2019; and Oladejo Oluyemisi, Asoloko Gloria Akayi, and Duru Nneka Joyce in 2020.
The longlist for the African Writers Awards 2021 and the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature 2021 is judged by Chief Judge Anthony Onugba alongside Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Gankhanani Moffat Moyo (Zambia), Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Nabilah Usman (Nigeria), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho) and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).
The longlists in the four categories announced by Chief Judge Anthony Onugba were;
Creative Non-Fiction
- A Future Created by Africa for Africa by Ifem Chiemerie Bonaventure (Nigeria)
- Adetutu by Adedoyin Adetutu (Nigeria)
- Cultural Partnership for a Common African Future by Saliha Haddad (Algeria)
- Is This Legacy by Oluchi B. Kolanisi (South Africa)
- Long Live the Comrade by Peter Zowa (Zimbabwe)
- Olugbon Lodge by Aanuoluwapo John Adesina (Nigeria)
- The Capital of God’s Own State by Blessing O. Nwodo (Nigeria)
- The Future Is Us by Oreoluwa Elujulo (Nigeria)
- The Future of Africa by Jenrola David Anuoluwapo (Nigeria)
- The Journey by Amatemeso Blessing Emmanuel (Nigeria)
- The Shifting Horizon by Mukalo Lungile Musaluke (Zambia)
- Today Can Be a Clean-up or Handover by Favour Iruoma Chukwuemeka (Nigeria)
- What Makes Us African by Lee Ann Visagie (South Africa)
- What Our Tales Entail by Jesse Bitrus Danjuma (Nigeria)
- Whispers of the African Sun by Enoch Akinlabi (Nigeria)
Drama
- A Country Called Africa by Dancan Ouma Obuya (Kenya)
- Eating With Chopsticks by Gordon, B. Away (Kenya)
- Fostered from a Thought by Irene Melissa Ojoro (Kenya)
- Khandasi by Elizabeth Nafula (Kenya)
- Right in the Middle by Akinkunle Johnson (Nigeria)
- Stones on this Side by Chibuenyim Babalola (Nigeria)
- The Dark Snake by Jonas Zaithwa Chisi (Malawi)
- The Seventh Child by Omotayo Olaoye (Nigeria)
- The Twist by Bernard Diesuk Lucas (Nigeria)
- Zige by Ebinabo Fortune Robert (Nigeria)
Poetry
- A Bright Morrow Looms by C. M. Okonkwo (Nigeria)
- All You See, All You Don’t See Poem by Joseph Olamide Babalola (Nigeria)
- In the grave of the brave by Clara Wanjira Kariuki (Kenya)
- Mother Africa is like a Highway in a Metropolitan City by Basethile Ngcubo (South Africa)
- No Other Miracle by Abigail-Tydale Bassey (Nigeria)
- Ode To Our Birth by Esther Diepiriye (Nigeria)
- On The Mountain Top by Faniyi Oluwatomiwa Elijah (Nigeria)
- Pen Pain African by Mthobisi M. Ntjangase (Eswatini)
- Tell The Child by Orji Peter Oluebube (Nigeria)
- The Dining Table by Overcomer Ibiaduradara Ibiteye (Nigeria)
- The Doomed House by Jamin Clement Manyasa (Kenya)
- Not in the Tears of Yesteryear by Raphael Edookue Bariweremeloo (Nigeria)
- The Stump Shall Grow Again by Olusola Adeboye (Nigeria)
- Today, A Star Radiates Hope by Oduogu Victor Nkwachukwu (Nigeria)
- Ubuntu by Ejang Patricia Peace (Uganda)
Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature
- Akaa and the Mango Tree by Chipalo Salimu (Zambia)
- Ali and his Sidekicks by Olakunbi Olatunde (Nigeria)
- Baba’s Secret by Oluwaseyi Adebola (Nigeria)
- Gold Material by Nyasili Atetwe (Kenya)
- How the Ostrich Became a Bird by Charity Modise (Botswana)
- Ireoluwa’s Thunderstones by Aanuoluwapo Adesina (Nigeria)
- Kodjo Braves a Hi by Temidayo Odutokun (Nigeria)
- Tea time with Tito by Stephanie Chizoba Odili (Nigeria)
- The Enchanted Pen by Nathaniel Z Mpofu (Zimbabwe)
- The Millionaire Orphan by Makhago Peter (Uganda)
- The Well of a Dog Owner by Halima Adam (Tanzania)
- The Wisdom Gourd by Ishola Oyinkansola Hubaidat (Nigeria)
- Tortoise and the Elephant by Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto (Nigeria)
- What Does it mean to be Kind Anyway by Kendi Karimi (Kenya)
- What Happened on Thursday by Ayo Oyeku (Nigeria)
The shortlist will be released on September 1, 2021, while the winners will be announced during the 4th African Writers Conference on October 9 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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