Uchechukwu Umezurike, author of Wish Maker, one of the books shortlisted for the 2024 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, has described the prize as a “big deal”.
The 2021 book Wish Maker is targeted at children aged 8-12. It is centred around a nine-year-old boy named Ebere who lives with his poor mother, a plantain trader. While hoping for a memorable Christmas, Ebere meets a mystical personality who makes his dream come true.
Speaking recently with QEDNG, Umezurike recalled how he was shortlisted for the first time for the prize in 2007 alongside Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, who is now chairperson of the advisory board for the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, and Mabel Segun.
“I was really happy to be among these distinguished writers. Although I didn’t win it was still an honour to have my work shortlisted. The second time, I was longlisted in 2011. I entered my children’s literature which was titled The Runaway Hero. I was among the last 11. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to the shortlist. This time around I’m on the shortlist so I’m elated and feeling good with myself,” he said.
Umezurike, an assistant professor of English at the University of Calgary, Canada, said he’s known last year’s winner of the literature prize Obari Gomba for over a decade, adding that they draw inspiration from each other.
He further said that in writing Wish Maker he got inspiration from himself, the suffering of the poor and also the challenges of riverine areas.
Umezurike said his background as a native of an oil-producing state, Imo, informed his decision to highlight in his book the neglect suffered by oil-producing communities.
Visibly elated that the board commended the language and editing of the book, the 49-year-old said he hopes his work meets the criteria for winning the prize.
“Winning will help me attain some of my creative writing goals. I want to write more for children I want to set up a literary prize which will be open to people who are writing for children. I also want to see if I can start up some collaborative venture, maybe with fellow writers but particularly with my publisher, to make the book available in so many schools across the country. Personally, I also want to give myself some tender loving care,” he said.
Umezurike added that he was impressed that the NLNG has sustained the prize for 20 years.
“The Nigeria Prize for Literature is a big deal. It’s done so much to revive and promote the reading culture. It’s been there for 20 years and I’m really impressed that they’ve been able to sustain this long-term commitment…I just want to encourage them to keep doing it,” he said.
The literary critic called on other stakeholders, private and public, to invest some more into the Nigerian print culture, book industry and literary activities.
This year, the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature focuses on children’s literature. The winner is guaranteed $100,000.
