The Words Finesse

Eleven plays made it to the long list for the $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature this year, announced on Thursday, 26th of July, 2018, sponsored by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).

The Society of Authors revealed that McKitterick Prize honours the first novel by a writer aged over 40.

Speaking at the Authors’ Awards ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects, London, the Prize Judge,  Aamer Hussein said: “It’s a particular pleasure to discover the original, intriguing voice of Anietie Isong. 

"In his brief, deftly told Radio Sunrise, the author depicts his often-hapless protagonist’s sexual mishaps and political travails on a journey to his hometown with a unique blend of humour and poignance. An intriguing and accomplished new novelist.”

Receiving the prize from broadcaster and actor, Stephen Fry, at the well attended event by over 400 guests from across the publishing industry, the Nigerian-British writer said,  “I wrote Radio Sunrise to help draw attention to a myriad of issues in Nigeria, and I am thrilled that this resonated with the judges.”

Anietie, who is the brother of Emem Isong, an award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, with this feat, joins a distinguished line of previous winners like Helen Dunmore, Petina Gappah and Mark Haddon.

Apart from receiving the £4000 prize money, Anietie Isong has received previous awards like a Commonwealth Short Story Award and the Remember Oluwale Writing Prize.

He has worked as a journalist, speechwriter and communications manager in Nigeria and the UK. He holds a PhD in New Media and Writing. 

He will be speaking at the Marlborough Literature Festival in the UK, in September.

Marvel Comics has announced a spin-off series, to begin in October, in which Black Panther is lost on a mission to space, and Shuri is looked upon to step up to fill the void left by her big brother in their mythical home nation Wakanda.

"The world fell in love with Shuri in the movie. Now, the Black Panther’s techno-genius sister launches her own adventures," the publisher said, confirming news first published by Bustle.

British-Guyanese actress, Letitia Wright, earned praises for her portrayal of sarcasm and high-tech inventions that made her one of the main new characters in the film, which critics agree was a groundbreaking moment for blacks on the silver screen.

"While she [Shuri] is the most at home in her lab, working to keep her country at the forefront of science and technology, Wakanda is missing its leader," Marvel wrote in a press statement about the new series.

"Without T'Challa around, Shuri will have to decide if she will forego her own passions in order to stand up for her nation."

Female Nigerian-American sci-fi author, Ms Nnedi Okorafor, who writes African-based science fiction and fantasy novels, will write "Shuri." 

Hinting about her new task, she wrote on Instagram, "Marvel has given Shuri (sister of T’Challa) her own comic series…and I’m writing it. Yup!😎!! Shuri is an African young woman of genius level intelligence who is obsessed with technology and has traveled spiritually so far into the past that she’s seen Wakanda before it was Wakanda. The Ancestors call her “Ancient Future”. And she’s super ambitious. What do I love about her? Alllll that and more. #wakandaforever 🙅🏾‍♀️ #nnediokorafor#marvel"

Ms Okorafor is no stranger to the Marvel Universe as she has previously contributed to the bi-weekly series, Black Panther: Long Live the King. 

According to BBC, she is already working for Marvel on its "Wakanda Forever" series, which focuses on the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces unit in the fictional nation.

Ms Okorafor told the online women's magazine, Bustle, that Shuri was a character in the "Marvel Universe who really sings to me."

She explained in an email to Bustle that she loved the character for her ambition and being a young African woman of "genius level intelligence who is obsessed with technology and has travelled spiritually so far into the past that she's seen Wakanda before it was Wakanda."

The author, who has Nigerian parents, has won a number of international awards, including a Hugo Award for her novella, Binti, and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature.

Her novel, "Who Fears Death" is reportedly being made into a drama series produced by Game Of Thrones' George RR Martin.

According to Box Office Mojo, "Black Panther" has taken in more than $1.34 billion, making it number nine on the all-time box office list. "Avatar" is the all-time champion at nearly $2.8 billion. 

Poets in Nigeria (PIN), University of Ibadan (UI) Connect Center, enriched with passionate young writers and literary enthusiasts, will, on the 27th of July, 2018 gather writers, spoken word artists, orators and literary enthusiasts to a big literary event at the University of Ibadan. 

The trio events which will hold at Arts Theatre, UI will feature competitions ranging from Spoken Word Slam to Oratory Contest to kick start at about 11 o' clock in the morning. 

Also in the evening, the event will be spiced up with a stage performance of "Frantic Vultures" by Gabriel Okonkwo, directed by Raji Joseph. 

While Oratory Contest will be on the topic, "Security Challenges in Nigeria: The way forward", participation for Spoken Word Slam will be by invitations to the shortlisted participants who would have forwarded their biodata -Name, Department, Faculty, and Contact details- to spokenwordslamUI@gmail.com with an 8-line poem on any theme, on or before Monday, 23rd of July.

Set to attend this promising event as guest poets include both established and budding poets such as Eriata Oribhabor (President, PIN), Servio Gbadamosi, Aniemeka Ndubuisi Martins, Ibrahim Odugbemi, Lawal Kafayat Gold, Olatunde Busayo, Mobolaji Sofoluwe, Muhammed Suleiman, Lanase Hussein Kehinde, Okunlola Olayinka Azeezat and others.

Orators and poets from Halls of Residence in the University of Ibadan and other Universities will be in attendance. 

Poets in Nigeria (PIN) is a literary body dedicated to the growth of Literature in Nigeria and the world. Over the years, PIN has been able to organize literary events and recorded successes across states in Nigeria. 

It also has Centres in various Universities across Nigeria where events are held annually.

The 2018 Babishai-Niwe Poetry Award has announced a longlist of 35 names.

Twenty-six (26) of the longlist are from Nigerian, Three (3) from Kenya, Two (2) from Zimbabwe; while one (1) poet each from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi, made it to the list.

The 2018 Award judged by Remi Raj, Rehema Nanfuka, and Alfred Msadala produced the following longlist:

The winner of this year Award will be announced at the 2018 Babishai-Niwe Poetry Festival from 3-6 August, in Kapchorwa and Mbale, Uganda.

Founded in 2009 by Uganda’s Beverly Nambozo Nsengiyunva, director of Babishai-Niwe Poetry Foundation, the BN Poetry Award was originally aimed at highlighting poetry by Ugandan women. 

The first winners were Lilian Akampurira Aujo in 2009, Sophie Brenda Alal in 2010), Sanyu Kisaka in 2011, and Susan Piwang in 2012. 

After the prize was expanded to all African poets, the winners were Tom Jalio in 2014, Adeeko Ibukun in 2015, and Sanya Noel and Moyosore Orimoloye in 2016.

Read the Longlisted Poems for the Awards