The Journal of African Youth Literature Prizes 2024 winners in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction were announced in Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday, December 28, 2024.
The Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit) publishes literature written by, about, and for born-in-Africa youths from 15 to 35 years old. They also have a news section to learn the latest happenings in the literary community, focusing on younger writers producing work today.
The journal announced a new scheme, the JAY Lit Prize for Poetry, JAY Lit Prize for Fiction, and JAY Lit Prize for Nonfiction, to recognise excellence and to honour the finest voices they published in 2024 on Wednesday, December 4. The work was looked at and whittled down by JAY Lit peer reviewers and guest editors Tobi Ojenike, Aishat Adesanya, Bongiwe T. Maphosa, Anna Samwell, Nneamaka Onochie, Martha Khoeses and Kaushar Edoo.
The winners were announced on Saturday, December 28 and they are;
JAY Lit Prize for Poetry
Jury: Gabriel Awuah Mainoo, Su’eddie Vershima Agema
- State of Emergency, Timi Sanni (Issue 7) – Joint Winner
- Three Deaths, Salama Wainaina (Issue 8) – Joint Winner
- Four Incantations for the Earth, Arikewusola Abdul Awal (Issue 7) – Joint Runner-Up
- Oil on Canvas (2024), Aman Bibi Gray (Issue 7) – Joint Runner-Up
S. Su’eddie Vershima Agema said: “The four finalist poems are beautiful and poignant, striking in imagery, narrative, and thematic preoccupation. There is also a thread that runs through them effortlessly. A super pleasure to be on the panel and well done to everyone—you are all winners!”
JAY Lit Prize for Fiction
Jury: Deborah Oluniran-Adeniyi, Makena Onjerika
- Welcome to Iya Mosun’s Midnight Club, Chidera Nwume (Issue 8) – Winner
- Mother Theresa, Ekemini Pius (Issue 7) – 1st Runner-Up
- RIP Revisited, Jan Brümmer (Issue 6) – 2nd Runner-Up
Makena Onjerika said of the winning story: “It’s clever in its use of the second person narrator to put the readers deeply in the character’s shoes.”
JAY Lit Prize for Nonfiction
Jury: Iruoma Chukwuemeka, Mubanga Kalimamukwento
- The Palate, Frank Njugi (Issue 8) – Winner
- Ignorance is Brit, MaryAnn Ifeanacho (Issue 7) – 1st Runner-Up
- Dancing to the Rhythm of a Funeral Song, Great Opara (Issue 8) – 2nd Runner-Up
Mubanga Kalimamukwento said of the winning essay, “The Palate is cleverly rendered reflection on the meaning of home through the familiarity of food. And just as the food was multi-textured, so too was the narration. At once nostalgic as it was humorous, nonchalant and hopeful. I didn’t realise I didn’t want this story to end, until it did.”
The winners win cash and other prizes from the award partners.
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