The advisory board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature on Tuesday announced the finalists for the 2023 edition of the prize.
The shortlisted plays in alphabetical order of their titles are: Grit by Obari Gomba; The Ojuelegba Crossroads by Abideen Abolaji Ojomu; and Yamtarawala – The Warrior King by Henry Akubuiro.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and carries a cash award of $100,000. A total of 143 plays were entered for the competition, which focuses on drama.
Chairperson of the advisory board Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo made the announcement in a live broadcast on the prize’s social media channels.
According to the board, the plays stand tall in terms of dramatology, language, performance, story, and structure. The board also said the plays represent the pinnacle of literary craftsmanship and the artistic convergence that The Nigeria Prize for Literature tirelessly seeks.
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Obari Gomba, Abideen Ojomu, Henry Akubuiro make shortlist for $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature
Gomba
He is a professor of English at the University of Port Harcourt and also fellow at the University of Oxford.
He teaches literature and creative writing at UNIPORT, and is also an honorary fellow in writing at the University of Iowa (USA).
Ojomu
He is a playwright, poet, actor and dancer with multiple performances behind him. He graduated as a chemical engineer from Lagos State University. He has successfully staged many of his plays with different playhouses and has done book readings at various events.
Akubuiro
Akubuiro graduated from the Department of English and Literary Studies, Imo State University, Owerri in 2003. He began his journalism career as an undergraduate at the university, where he became the pioneer editor of The Elite—the student newspaper in Imo State University—and The Imo Star—the newspaper of the Student Union Government. He won the 1998 BBC World Service Young Reporters’ Competition and the national essay competition organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The winner will be announced by the advisory board on October 13, 2023.
