ANA President Denja Abdulahi, others longlisted for 2018 edition
of NLNG Prize for Literature
The National President of the Association of
Nigerian Authors, Mallam Denja Abdulahi was yesterday announced as one of the
longlisted playwrights for this year NLNG Prize for Literature (Drama Genre).
This was made known through a press release made
available on LNG facebook page yesterday by Andy Odeh, Manager, Corporate Communication
and Public Affairs of the company.
Denja Abdullahi is an
award winning poet, literary essayist and culture technocrat. He has been the president of the Association of Nigerian Authors
since 2015 till date. He was the National General Secretary of the
Association of Nigerian authors from 2005-2009. Denja Abdullahi currently works
in the National Council for Arts and Culture. He is currently researching for a PhD at Nasarawa State
University, Keffi, on Multicultural Aesthetics in Dramatic Literature. Denja
Abdulahi has four published poetry books to his credit; Mairogo:A Buffoon’s
Poetic Journey Around Northern Nigeria(2001),Abuja Nunyi- This is Abuja
(2008),The Talking Drum(2008) and A Thousand Years of Thirst(2011).
Other playwights on the longlist are:
2. Embers by Soji Cole; published by Emotion Press
3. Guerrilla Post by Obari Gomba; published by Narrative Landscape Press
4. Majestic Revolt by Peter E. Omoko; published by Malthouse Press
5. Melancholia by Dul Johnson; published by Sevhage Publishers
6. No More the Taming Hawks by Diran Ademiju-Bepo; published by Dynasty Tales
7. Once Upon an Elephant by Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan by Kraft Books
8. Sankara by Jude Idada; published by Parressia Publishing
9. The Rally by Akanji Nasiru; published by Kraft Books
10. Unstable by Dickson Ekhaguere; published by Tryspect Solutions
Members of the Advisory Board for the Literature
Prize, besides Professor Banjo, two-time Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier
university, University of Ibadan, are Prof. Jerry Agada, former Minister of
State for Education, former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors,
and Professor Emeritus, Ben Elugbe, former President of the Nigerian Academy of
Letters and president of the West-African Linguistic Society (2004-2013).
The Nigeria Prize for Literature is Africa’s most prestigious literary prize sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited.
The 2018 longlist of 11 plays chosen from 89
entries was selected by a panel of three judges led by Matthew Umukoro,
professor of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan. Other members of the
panel include Mohammed Inuwa Umar - Buratai, professor of Theatre and
Performing Arts and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Ahmadu Bello
University, (ABU), Zaria; and Ngozi Udengwu, a Senior Lecturer in the
Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The Umukoro-led panel was appointed in February
2018 by the Prof. Ayo Banjo-led Advisory Board for the Nigeria Prize for
Literature which has been administering the prize on behalf of Nigeria LNG
Limited since 2010. Entries for the 2018 Prize were received by the judges in
April 2018.
As in previous years, the contest for Africa’s
most prestigious literature prize will be keenly contested.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature has, since 2004,
rewarded eminent writers such as Gabriel Okara (co-winner, 2004, poetry),
Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto (co-winner, 2004, poetry) for The Dreamer, His Vision;
Ahmed Yerima (2005, drama) for his play, Hard Ground; Mabel Segun (co-winner,
2007, children’s literature) for her collection of short plays Reader’s
Theatre; Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 2007, children’s
literature) for her book, My Cousin Sammy; Kaine Agary (2008, prose) for her
book Yellow Yellow; Esiaba Irobi (2010, drama) who clinched the prize
posthumously with his book Cemetery Road; Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, children’s
literature) with his book The Missing Clock; Chika Unigwe (2012, prose), with
her novel, On Black Sisters Street; Tade Ipadeola (2013, poetry) with his
collection of poems, The Sahara Testaments, Professor Sam Ukala (2014, drama)
with his play, Iredi War; Seasons of Crimson Blossom, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim
(2016, prose) and The Heresiad, Ikeogu Oke (2017, poetry).
The Nigeria Prize for Literature with a cash
award of $100, 000 is awarded yearly to the best excellent work, alternating
amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s
literature will this year be awarded to the best excellent work submitted in
the Drama genre.
Nigeria LNG Limited remains committed to
responsible corporate citizenship and The Nigeria Prize for Literature is one of
its numerous contributions towards helping to build a better Nigeria.
Leading up to the announcement of the shortlist
of three and winner, there will be a number of events open to the public
featuring the authors which will be publicized on our corporate social media
platforms.
A shortlist of three is expected in September and
a possible winner will be announced by the Advisory Board in October.
