Chiziterem Chijioke won the Quramo Writers’ Prize 2023 at a colourful ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
The Quramo Writers’ Prize is awarded annually to an unpublished fiction manuscript by an unpublished author. It was founded by Lagos, Nigeria-based Quramo Publishers to encourage and stimulate a new community of talented writers as well as provide an opportunity for otherwise unexposed talent to achieve publishing recognition. Previous winners have been Samuel Monye (2017), Michael Emmanuel (2018), Vivian Onyekachi Ibe (2019), Kadiri Alex (2020), Akinnimi Akintomiwa Oluwaseun (2021), and Ibrahim Babatunde Ibrahim (2022).
The judging panel this year is chaired by novelist and publisher Eghosa Imasuen alongside journalist and writer Anote Ajeluorou as well as writer and literary critic Lechi Eke. They announced the longlist on August 27 before the shortlist with manuscripts by the following writers was revealed on October 1.
The winner of the award was revealed at the Quramo Festival of Words also known as QFest as the highlight of Sunday activities. Presided over by Quramo founder Gbemi Shasore, the winner of the 1 million Naira cash prize and possibly a publishing deal is Chiziterem Chijioke for her manuscript Dear Zini. Second and third were Truth Bakare’s Summer Bloom and Mujahid Ameen Lilo’s Landscape of Loss.
Chiziterem Chijioke is a Creative Director, Digital Marketer, and Storyteller. She is an experienced Writer with a history of working in the writing and editing industry.
Posting on her social media afterward she said, “Award Winning Writer, Chiziterem Winner Chijioke! 🥳 First Female winner of the Quramo Writers’ Prize! Winner, 2023! Thank you! @quramoofficial for this opportunity ❤️ Thank you @gshash1 for putting together this wonderful festival, Ma’am. God bless you and the entire festival team 🥺. This was a wholesome experience 💃”
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