We present to you the outstanding literary happenings for 2017.
What a year 2017 was. We had many things happen over the year positive and negative. Just like in 2016, we give you a rundown of the year that was in African literature. The book choices are of course very subjective.
Transitions
Our lows were the losses of some of the best of the writing world transiting to the ancestor role that we all eventually take up. Some of the sad goodbyes were for Egyptian Novelist and Publisher Mekkawi Said, Algerian novelist and poet Dihia Louiz, Ghanaian author of short stories and speculative fiction Kojo Laing, South African authors Miriam Tlali and Peter Abrahams. Probably the most famous goodbye was for legendary Nigerian author Buchi Emecheta. We say goodbye to them. Asante sana for the amazing work that set the foundation for what we enjoy today.
Books
Novels
- East Africa: Dance of the Jakaranda | Peter Kimani
- West Africa: Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
- South Africa: The Blessed Girl | Angela Makholwa
- North Africa: No entry :’(
- Overall: Dance of the Jakaranda | Peter Kimani
Anthology: Versus; A Huza Press Anthology 2017 | Huza Press
Short Story Collection: What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky | Lesley Nneka Arimah
Nonfiction: City of Thorns | Ben Rawlence
Poetry: Collective Amnesia | Koleka Putuma
Literary Prizes
Pan African Prizes
- Etisalat Prize for Literature: Jowhor Ile
- Caine Prize: Bushra al-Fadil.
- Short Story Day Africa: Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor.
- Writivism Awards: Munachim Amah and Charles King.
- Mabati Cornell Kiswahili Prize 2016: To be announced.
- Morland Writing Scholarship 2017: Alemseged Tesfai, Bryony Rheam, Elnathan John, Eloghosa Osunde, and Fatima Kola.
- Burt Award for African Young Adult Literature All-Stars 2017: Elshadai Tesfaye
- The Short Story is Dead, Long Live the Short Story!” Prize 2017: Mary Ononokpono
- Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2017: Romeo Oriogun.
National Prizes
- Cameroon – Bakwa Short Story Competition 2017 – Bengono Essola Edouard
- Egypt – Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature 2017: Huzama Habayeb.
- Ghana – Ghana Writers Awards 2017: Philip Arko Ewusi, Kwao Jonathan Tetteh, Maame Akua Akyea Kodua, and Celestine Nudanu.
- Kenya – Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature 2017: Henry Ole Kulet, Tom Olali and others.
- South Africa – South Africa Literary Awards 2017: Nthikeng Mohlele, Dikgang Moseneke, and others
- South Africa – Sunday Times Literary Awards 2017: Zakes Mda and Greg Marinovich
- Kenya – Nyanza Literary Festival 2017: Khalid Salleh, Oluoch Madiang and F Simiyu Barasa.
- Mozambique – Eduardo Costley-White literary prize – Lucílio Manjate.
- Nigeria – NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2017: Ikeogu Oke.
- Rwanda – The Huza Press Prize for Fiction 2016: Raïssa Kamaliza.
Literary Festivals
- Literary Festival of the year: Abantu Book Festival.
- New Literary Festival of the year: Kaduna Literary Festival.
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