25th February, 2014
Nkrumah Bankong-Obi
Noviolet Bulawayo, a writer from Zimbabwe, has won the inaugural Etisalat Prize for Literature in Africa.
Her novel, We Need New Names, was adjudged first ahead of the other shortlisted writers, Yewande Omotoso and Karin Jennings, authors of Bomboy and Finding Soutbek, respectively. The prize is worth 15,000 Pounds.
According to the judges, the quality of entries, from the over 1000 entries was high, thus making the job of selecting of the short list difficult.
Pumla Gqola, chair of the judges said: “the three writers have got very definite voices, reflecting that the future of African writing is here.”
Acting Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, Etsalat, Matthew Wilshire, noted that the objective of the prize is to begin new conversations through a continual nurturing of African culture and writing.
Apart from the main prize, winners of the Flash Fiction competition were also rewarded with the first prize going to Uche Okonkwo for her story, Neverland.
The event which held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, was spiced by a documentary titled ‘Write of Passage’, showing the generational movements of African writing. The audience was thrilled by famous Senegalise musician, Youssou N’Dour.