TODAY in the Grandball Room of Eko Hotel, the 11 finalists in the annual Nigeria Prize for Literature 2021 will be on parade.
It is the 12th edition of the CORA- Nigeria Prize for Literature initiated by the prime advocate group, the Committee Relevant Art, CORA but held in collaboration with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, the initiator of the $100,000 NPL, which has remained the biggest literary prize on the continent of Africa.
The event starting at 2pm, will hold in hybrid format – In-Person and virtually, according to the CORA secretariat, in an earlier public statement.
It said that in view of the raging pandemic, all the protocols of the Covid-19 will be strictly observed, as such only 100 people will be admitted int the hall.
Stated CORA: “The 11 writers on the Longlist will be expected to join physically in the room. But provision would be made for those abroad to join virtually, via:
https://nlng.zoom.us/j/87037138733 ID: 870 3713 8733 | Passcode: 492864.
“The CORA-NPL Book Party affords members of the public the opportunity to interact with the authors on their shortlisted works towards the announcement of the shortlist of three that will eventually yield the final winner of the Prize later in the year,” stated the CORA, the 30-year-old promoters of art and literary productions and expression.
“The party also helps to promote a reading culture, especially among young Nigerians, engage relevant publics in literature, academia, and the media and stimulate public interest in the Longlisted works and the NPL”, says Eyono Fatai-Williams, General Manager External Relations and Sustainable Development of the NLNG Ltd.
The $100,000 NPL is the biggest cash prize award for a literary competition on the continent.
“Although that is quite some significant amount of money in anyone’s account, CORA sees, in it an opportunity for the creation of an entire economy around the book trade”, says Jahman Anikulapo, Programme Chair of CORA, who conceived the idea of the book party during a review of the first five years of the award in 2009.
Below is the full statement of CORA to the event today:
CORA Statement at the Book Party For The Laureates of the Nigeria Literature Prize
August 8, 2021
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the 12th edition of the Book Party organized by the partnership of CORA-The Nigeria Prize for Literature
The last time we got together was October 8, 2020, on Zoom.
Last year’s Book Party was meant to be a symbolic gathering, to make the statement that the Virus would not defeat the pursuit of a noble cause such as the Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Those of us in that meeting, engaged with the past winners of the prize and basically discussed the joys of winning.
The last physical Book Party, was at Shell Hall, MUSON Centre on Lagos Island. It was a celebration of the shortlisted writers for Children literature in 2019.
It was a full house. Pre-pandemic. And since that last opportunity for a physical gathering, an important milestone has taken place in the life of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, sponsors of these awards.
Let me get one very important issue out of the way before I return to today’s event.
I want to congratulate NLNG Ltd for achieving the Final Investment Decision to expand their factory by 35%. I don’t want to go into those technical details; but what this means is that the company is growing, and so, likely will be the incentive to continue to sponsor the Prize.
On behalf of the entire CORA board of Trustees, I warmly congratulate the Board and Management of NLNG, a company that is running the largest midstream hydrocarbon plant in subSaharan Africa and a dutiful payee of taxes into the Nigerian treasury for their growth project.
We would appreciate that Mrs. Eyono Fatai-Williams convey our congratulations to the M.D., Dr. Mshebilla.
This afternoon, we’d be discussing a range of texts in the novel form, a genre that arguably commands more respect than any of the genres in the literary arts firmament.
The first Book Party, which took place in the scenic seaside premises of the Goethe Institut on Victoria Island in 2010, was staged after a review of the first five years of the Prize (2004-2009, in response to calls that the prize should do more than a glamourous Gala night in which one author got rich, but the Nigerian book trade and literary scene as a whole didn’t seem elevated. Sympathisers of the award argued that the NLNG Ltd, through NPL, could not alone wipe out the entrenched challenges of the Nigerian literary landscape.
CORA decided to help out. We asked the question: Why don’t we organise book readings, in which the top laureates come out to engage with audiences?
For what is the worth of the riches when you don’t have an audience?
That is the reason why we are here’ to engage! This is like an extension service; take the book to the community.
We know of podcast recordings of conversations between authors and moderators; we are aware of mailed excerpts of new books; we know of grand launchings.
But nothing beats a Book Reading; an event at which an author sits and discusses his work with readers in the room.
Whoever wins the NPL is the most literate Nigerian in the year of his winning.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature is the biggest cash prize award for a literary competition on the continent. On the street, today, $100,000 will deliver N50million. There are houses in Ikoyi, today for which a down payment of 5million provides you access. Ikoyi is Nigeria’s leader in the ivy league of real estate properties.
The prize money makes the competition to be as keen as some of the most prestigious Lit prizes on the planet, but what writers want, primarily, is to distinguish themselves with magical writing and gain a wide audience in the event.
Simply put: the recognition is important.
The Book Party is one of the series of events in our Calendar that preface our Annual Book and Art Festival.
We are going to have an exciting time this afternoon, engaging with this star-studded cast of writers. Let us enjoy the moment.
Again, let me crave the indulgence of the CORA Board of Trustees to invite all the laureates here, regardless of whoever wins the prize, to the 22nd Lagos Book & Art Festival in November.
For: Committee for Relevant Art
