African Writers Awards release longlist

The African Writers Development Trust (AWDT) and Writers Space Africa has released the 2020 longlist for the African Writers Awards (AWA) and the Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature.

The judges for the prize include Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Henry Joe Sakala (Zambia), Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Benny Wanjohi (Kenya), Namse Udosen (Nigeria) with Anthony Onugba as chief judge.

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The shortlist of five will be released on October 19, 2020.

Those selected in the creative non-fiction category includes:

1. Black and Changed – Aganaba Jesudubami – Nigeria
2. Covik One Nine: A Nigerian Palaver – Ayoola Ibukun – Nigeria
3. Each Little Win – Oladejo Oluyemisi – Nigeria
4. Freelandentity – Akintayo Akinjide – Nigeria
5. Honey – Eziaghighala Chinaza – Nigeria
6. No Role Models – Angoma-Mzini Thulani – South Africa
7. Omwami – Owuor Diana – Kenya
8. Prejudice: Where The Worms Fester – Okparanma Shiloh – Nigeria
9. Requiem for Africa’s Creatively Inept – Mpofu Nathaniel – Zimbabwe
10. Tell Me; How Are Men Made – Nwankwo Ugochukwu – Nigeria
11. The Intelligent Thief – Nwabueze Vincent – Nigeria
12. The Nigerian Hierarchy of Misfortune – Eboseremen Bartholomew – Nigeria
13. The Task of an African Narrator – Okombo Dismas – Kenya
14. Travelling While African: A Day at The Nairobi Giraffe Centre – Oroni Tendera – Kenya
15. Who Stole the Chicken – Agenorwot Mercy – Uganda

Drama

1. A Journey in a Circle – Winifred Olúbùnmi Òdúnóku – Nigeria
2. Animal City – Simiyu Kefa – Kenya
3. Eniobasin (He Who the King Buries) – Adepoju Isaiah – Nigeria
4. Fate of Fatherland – Babalola Mathew – Nigeria
5. In Our Transcending Cycle? – Chemka Ester – Tanzania
6. Jare – Lawrence Abasiama – Nigeria
7. Lost Destiny – Ukaorji Ogbonna – Nigeria
8. Mungaka – Patience Ghogho Kisob – Cameroon
9. Odessey of The Kankafo – Adinoyi Abdulbasit – Nigeria
10. Of Friends and Foes – Obuya Dancan – Kenya
11. Run Cor COVID – Adepegba Kehinde – Nigeria
12. Sanctuary – Oru Ade Joseph – Cameroon
13. The Testament of Black Jesus – Nyoni Philani – Zimbabwe
14. True Spots – Ojoro Irene Melissa – Kenya
15. Who Knows Amanda? – Asoloko Gloria Akayi – Nigeria

Poetry

1. African Beauty (Haiku) – Musyoka Susan – Kenya
2. Black Pride (Haiku) – Emesowum Chidozie – Nigeria
3. Blank Identity (Blank Verse) – Afara Muyiwa – Nigeria
4. Effectual Dose (Senryu) – Fatokun Ibukun – Nigeria
5. Evolution to Revolution (Pantoum) – Paul Shunom – Nigeria
6. Her Afric Identity Is Lectic (Blank Verse) – Babajide Michael – Nigeria
7. Her Hair, Her Braids (Blank Verse) – Semir-Nyuiy Terry Kimah – Cameroon
8. Manyatta (Blank Verse) – Kilibwa Isaac – Kenya
9. Odd Order (Pantoum) – Nkalolang Temani – Botswana
10. Ode to The Black People (Blank Verse) – Okunola Peace – Nigeria
11. Ode to The Blackbird (Haiku) – Duru Nneka Joyce – Nigeria
12. Old and Gold (Pantoum) – Gaygay James – Liberia
13. The African Passport (Blank Verse) – Olaleye Emmanuel – Nigeria
14. The Vestiges of War (Pantoum) – Popoola Samuel – Nigeria
15. Who I Am (Pantoum) – Ogedengbe Tolulope Impact – Nigeria

Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature

1. Daudi’s Magical Drum – Muhwezi Simpson – Uganda
2. Dear Ije: The Different Sides – Ugwuezema, Lovelyn Amarachi – Nigeria
3. Hessy and The Lost Tooth – Halieo Motanyane – Lesotho
4. How Must a Boy Feel – Audrey Obuobisa Darko – Ghana
5. Kusalwa the Daydreamer – Linda Mwenda – Zambia
6. Mbi and Her Cow – Paul Ugbede – Nigeria
7. Scared Little Boy – Madeha Ezekial Malecela – Tanzania
8. Sophie What Do You Say? Blessing Aliyu Tarfa – Nigeria
9. The Great Drought – Blessing Amatemeso – Nigeria
10. The Great Escape – Iwu Chibueze – Nigeria
11. The Magic Book – Oketunde Judith Oluwatomi – Nigeria
12. The Two Sisters – Leonard Maero W. – Kenya
13. Tiems Tragedy – Adodo Ruth Enoguehi – Nigeria
14. Tortoise Goes to School- Steve Ogah – Nigeria
15. Wakini’s New Home- Nettabella Rachael Simiyu – Kenya