Morland Writing Scholarships 2019 shortlist announced.

The shortlist for the Morland Writing Scholarships 2019 was announced today, October 25, 2019.

The Morland Writing Scholarships for African Writers, popularly referred to as the Morland Writing Scholarship, is an opportunity to allow writers to finish a manuscript. Scholars writing fiction receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over twelve months while those writing non-fiction may receive a grant of up to £27,000, paid over a period of up to eighteen months. In the past, the scholarship has been accorded to writers like Simone Haysom, Yewande Omotoso, Noo Saro-Wiwa, Akwaeke Emezi, Karen Jennings, Ayesha Harruna Attah, and Elnathan John.

Those announced today as being in the running for one of the most respected manuscript prizes on African writing, selected from the record 700 entries, are;

• Siyanda Mohutsiwa – Botswana
• Elinam Agbo – Ghana
• Cheryl Ntumy – Ghana
• Cherrie Kandie – Kenya
• Parselelo Kantai – Kenya
• Irene Ndiritu – Kenya
• Gloria Odari – Kenya
• Hawa Jande Golakai – Liberia
• Eromo Egbejule – Nigeria
• Nnamdi Oguike – Nigeria
• Olalekan Olanrewaju – Nigeria
• Toni Kan Onwordi – Nigeria
• Adeola Salau – Nigeria
• Zainub Dala – South Africa
• Dela Gwala – South Africa
• Mishka Hoosen – South Africa
• Fred Khumalo – South Africa
• Lindokuhle Nkosi – South Africa
• Tsholofelo Wesi – South Africa
• Farai Mudzingwa – Zimbabwe

Miles Morland commented, “What a talented group of people on this year’s shortlist. I’m glad I don’t have to choose who gets the Scholarships. As I said last year, I can’t think of anywhere else in the world that could produce a shortlist with such energy and originality. My only disappointment is that I’d like to see more of the humour and wit for which countries like Nigeria are famous but apart from that the shortlist has everything, an astonishing variety.”

The judges, Muthoni Garland, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, and Otosirieze Obi-Young, will meet on November 21 to select the 2019 Scholars