Sevhage Literary Prizes 2024 winners announced

The Sevhage Literary Prizes 2024 winners in fiction, nonfiction, and literary criticism were announced on Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

The Sevhage Literary and Development Initiative, aimed at promoting literature, reading, and other development initiatives, was founded by Nigeria-born UK-based S. Su’eddie Vershima Agema in 2013. Sevhage is a publisher of dozens of titles many of which have won or been nominated for numerous literary prizes. In 2015, they organised the Sevhage Literary Festival which hosted many writers in Makurdi, Nigeria. In 2023, they announced the Sevhage Literary Prizes which had the theme “Unleashing African Creativity” which were won by Arasi Kamolideen Oluwapelumi, Amanda Ilozumba, Ola W. Halim, Abasi-maenyin Esebre, and Sodiq Oyekanmi.

For 2024, the organisation called for entries for the E. E. Sule/SEVHAGE Prize for African Literary Criticism, the Eugenia Abu/SEVHAGE International Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, and the K & L Prize for Fiction. The K & L Prize for Fiction is an award for the best piece of unpublished fiction by an African resident aged 18 to 25, founded by New Zealand-based Nigerian writer Myles Ojabo won by Sisca Julius (2019), Kanyinsola Olorunnisola (2020), and Mustapha Enesi (2021). This year, it was incorporated as the Sevhage Literary Prizes fiction section while the poetry category would be in partnership with the Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit).

The shortlists were announced on Saturday, December 28 the organisers noting that the difference between the shortlisted entries and those that did not cut was, in many cases, marginal. Sevhage President, S Su’eddie Vershima Agema said, “The absence of certain works on this list should not be seen as a reflection of their quality but rather the result of limited slots in a highly competitive field.”

The winners are;

K & L Prize for Fiction

• The Thing with Feathers, Ekpenyong Kosisochukwu
• This, too, will pass, Amanda Ilozumba Otitobunkechukwu

Reaction

Won the 2024 K&L prize for fiction (also won the 2023 prize). Thank you @sevhage and @Sueddieagema 🫶🏿

Amanda Ilozumba Otitobunkechukwu

Eugenia Abu/SEVHAGE International Prize for Creative Non-Fiction

• Compass Rose, Abasi-maenyin Esebre
• The Protest Lamb, Ojo Blessing
• We Bought an Album in June, Nana Sule

Reaction

I woke up to this great news! Grateful to the judges for finding THE PROTEST LAMB worthy of recognition.

Ojo Blessing

E. E. Sule/SEVHAGE Prize for African Literary Criticism

• In Defense of Leopartitude: A Case to Update an Indigenous African Literary Theory, Bizuum Yadok

The jury said of the work, “Yadok’s piece is insightful, and embodies the intellectual rigour, originality, and engagement with African literary traditions that the prize seeks to honour. His ability to weave performance analysis, literary critique, and theoretical application into a cohesive and compelling argument exemplifies quality African literary criticism.”

The awards and certificates will be presented at the Benue Book and Arts Festival held in Makurdi, Benue State from February 20 – 22 2025.

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