The Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 longlist was announced at the opening ceremony of the Ake Festival 2016. The announcement was made by Elvis Ogiemwanye and chief judge Hellon Habila.
The next generation of literary stars vying for the Etisalat Prize for Literature was announced as part of the opening ceremony of the Ake Book and Arts Festival. The announcement was made by Etisalat executive Elvis Ogiemwanye and chief judge and birthday boy Hellon Habila.
The longlist is made up of entries from first-time authors whose books were published in the past 24 months.
The judging panel, comprising Nigerian novelist and poet, Helon Habila (Chair), South African writer/activist Elinor Sisulu and Ivorian writer and Africa39 laureate Edwige Rene Dro, now has the task of selecting three authors for the shortlist, which will be unveiled in December.
This years shortlisted authors are:
- Julie Iromuanya (Nigerian) — Mr. and Mrs. Doctor (Coffee House Press, USA),
- Mohale Mashigo (South Africa) — The Yearning (PanMacmillan, South Africa),
- Nakhane Toure (South Africa) — Piggy Boy’s Blues (Blackbird Books imprint of Jacana Media, SA),
- Jen Thorpe (South Africa) — The Peculiars (Penguin Random House, USA),
- Elnathan John (Nigeria) — on a Tuesday (Cassava Republic, Nigeria),
- Jowhor Ile (Nigeria) — And After Many Days (Farafina an imprint of Kachifo Limited, Nigeria),
- Andrew Miller (South Africa)— Dub Steps (Jacana Media, South Africa),
- Jacqui L’Ange (South Africa) — The Seed Thief (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa)
- Unathi Magubeni (South Africa) — Nwezelenga: The Star Child (Black Bird Books Imprint of Jacana Media, South Africa).
The winner of the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature will be announced in March 2017 and will receive £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, and an Etisalat-sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia to be mentored by renowned Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland.
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