The Etisalat Prize for African literature is set to be announced in Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday with a performance by very famous artist Youssou N’dour.
The event which we have been following for the last few years with the long list and then the shortlist has been quite cool. Now we come to the main event at the Freedom Park in Lagos, Nigerian. As an observer, I suspect that the winner of this event will be Noviolet Bulawayo but I am hoping the Naija/Mzanzi/Barbadan Yewande Omotoso goes away with the award. That would be pretty cool.
What will the winner be going home with? Apart from boasting of being the “best writer” for a whole year, they will go home with a £15,000 cash prize and attend the Etisalat Fellowship at the prestigious University of East Anglia mentored by Giles Foden (Author of The Last King of Scotland).
The runners-up don’t go empty-handed, bless the Etisalat prize folks, as 1,000 of their books will be bought and they will join the winner with a three-city book signing tour.
Youssou N’dour will be the main performer when the prize giving is going down. Selecting N’dour to perform is a brilliant thing. Not only is he a musician and President wannabe but is known as an activist per excellence. If he could be convinced to “activist” for literature from our continent that would be a very important voice for the industry.
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