Calls for Submission: The NLNG Prize for Literature (Prose) 2012

Last year's edition saw Mai Nasara smiling to the bank $100, 000 richer after his children's book The Missing Clock clinched the first prize. Who would it be this time around?

Entries are hereby invited for The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The yearly literary prize is endowed by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) to honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian within the last four years.
The prize will rotate amongst four literary genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year, the competition is for Prose Fiction.

The competition is open only to published works by Nigerian writers irrespective of place of residence. It carries a prize of $100,000. Two other writers may also be accorded honourable mention.

Submission Procedure
Six copies of the entry together with evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopy of Nigerian passport or National Identity Card) may be submitted either by authors or publishers, in accordance with the genre in competition.

Books should be submitted to Nigeria LNG Limited’s External Relations Division, promoters of the prize, by the stipulated deadline. Failure to meet the stated conditions will lead to disqualification of the entry.
This being an annual prize, the date of publication on the works submitted must be within the previous three years. Complete contact information, including full postal address and/or email and evidence of Nigerian citizenship, should accompany each submission.

An author in any competition will enter only one published work. Manuscripts will not be considered. No book previously submitted for this competition may be resubmitted at a later date, even if major revisions have been made or a new edition published.

The prize will be awarded for no other reason than excellence.

Judges for 2012 competition
Prof. Abiola Irele – Chairperson
Prof. JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada – Member
Prof. Sophia Ogwude – Member
Prof. Angela Miri – Member
Prof. Oyeniyi Okuneye – Member
Calendar for Prize Administration
Close of entries (deadline) – March 31, 2012. Late entries will not be entertained.

All entries should be sent to:
The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Nigeria LNG Limited
Intels Aba Road Estate
KM 16 Aba Expressway
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Nigeria

For entries outside Nigeria:
The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Heron House,
10 Dean Farrar Street
London
SW1H oDX
More information here.
    

Presentation of Nigeria Prize for Literature (2011) featuring winner Mai Nasara, Wole Soyinka and others

The 2011 winner for the Nigeria Prize for Literature Adeleke Adeyemi (pen name, Mai Nasara) returns to the country on Saturday February 3 after a brief sojourn in the United States. The now popular author won the prestigious Nigeria LNG-endowed award for his children's novel 'The Missing Clock' in August.

Mai Nasara returns as guest of honour at the public presentation of the winner of the prize, organised by the Nigeria LNG. The event holds at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos - and will be attended by leading lights of Nigerian literature, including the "father" of modern-day Nigerian poetry Gabriel Okara and Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka.

"Obviously I am delighted to be coming back home to engage with the public and the literary community," Nasara said. "And I thank the Nigeria LNG for this honour and for this platform. I am looking forward to getting home on Saturday and discussing the prize and the book on Monday. This is a humbling experience for me."

Starting from 126 submissions from Nigerian authors of children's literature, 'The Missing Clock' made the shortlist, eventually beating an intimidating six of some of the best children's authors in Africa. This shortlist included Ayodele Olofintuade and Chinyere Obi Obasi, and Nasara won the coveted $100, 000 cash prize.

The novel explores the reversal of fortunes for a Nigerian family and how they grew to overcome their circumstances. In an earlier interview, the author explained that he was inspired by the concept of a conservative traditional family. The author admonished families to work on their personal and family histories as the first step towards changing the world.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature is rated the 22nd most valuable in the world. It is endowed by the Nigeria LNG, which also awards the Nigeria Prize for Science annually.

The event will be shown on Monday on NTA and AIT and will also be streamed online via www.nlnglive.com at 10am.