Author of The Road Does Not End Olubunmi Familoni has said that making the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2024 shortlist is a validation of his work.
The 2024 book focuses on a young boy Rilwan whose age was not specified. The loss of his parents shrouded in secrecy puts him in the hands of his cruel aunt, Aunty Biliki, who thrusts him into the unforgiving world of street hawking. As Rilwan navigates the complexities of street life and the allure of Fuji music, he discovers that the road, indeed, does not end.
In 2023, Familoni’s work When Big Masquerades Dance Naked made the longlist. The author told QEDNG in a recent interview that “the shortlist is a step closer.”
Speaking further about the feeling of making the shortlist, he said: “It’s a very good feeling when you think about it. It is also a validation of the quality of the work that you are doing and also a validation of the time and years that you’ve put into improving your craft. It is like a stamp of approval. It’s a very good feeling for a writer.”
Familoni said he got inspiration for the book from the socio-economic dysfunction of the Nigerian society.
The writer said the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature builds trust between the literary community and writers.
“Due to the quality and prestige that the prize has built for 20 years, writers and readers trust them. The entire literati trusts them to pick some of the best writers. That is one thing it does for literature. It builds that trust between the literary community and writers,” he said.
Familoni, who submitted his work for the NLNG literature prize for the first time last year, acknowledged that “it is not easy” to get one’s work published traditionally.
He alluded the possibility of getting his works published to fate when in 2014 a publisher took interest in him after he had published several works in journals and other platforms.
As a writer based outside the country, he noted that it is not an easy task to have one’s work published traditionally. He however advised writers not to give up.
Encouraging writers, he said: “Just write. We’re not writing for the prize, we’re not writing to win prizes. We’re writing for the sake of writing, to get our voices out there, to capture emotions. We’re writing to be honest. I think it’s that honesty and whatever it is that judges see and say ‘This is deserving of a prize.’
“So don’t write with a prize in mind. Don’t make it your destination. Your destination should be that honesty, making sure that your craft is as authentic as possible and that your style is also impressive.”
Familoni gave kudos to the NLNG for sustaining the Nigeria Prize for Literature for 20 years.
This year, the $100,000 prize focuses on children’s literature.
