TEN writers from four African countries have been longlisted for the annual James Currey Prize for Literature, which is named in honour of the octogenarian former editor and manager at the famous African Writers Series, James Currey.
According to promoters of the Prize, James Currey Society based in Oxford, UK, the longlisted are: four Nigerians, four Kenyans, one Tanzanian, and one South African.
The Longlist
1. Rose Okeke – Child of Corn (Nigeria)
2. Sumaila Isah Umaisha – Glass House (Nigeria)
3. Mohammed Hammie – Mandiga’s Well (Tanzania)
4. David Ngumi – The Hitman (Kenya)
5. Buntu Siwisa – Paperless (South Africa)
6. Esomnofu Ebelenna Tobenna – Madness (Nigeria)
7. Chima Ugokwe – Drumbeat of the Gods (Nigeria)
8. Evanson Njuki – If War Were a Country (Kenya)
9. Abenea Ndago – Lord Kitchener (Kenya)
10. Peter Muigai – In the Castle of My Heart (Kenya)
A shortlist will be released on July 1, 2022, stated the promoters, adding that, the winner will be unveiled on September 3 during the James Currey Literary Festival slated for the University of Oxford.
Chaired by Nigerian writer, Ever Obi, the Jury members are: Dr. Suraj Yengde (Indian author and scholar), Teri Sillo (United Kingdom), Thomas Dukelabik Amanquandor (Ghana), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe (Nigeria), Olukorede S Yishau (Nigeria), and Charmaine R Mujeri (Zimbabwe).
The Jury head, Obi, said in a statement: “The College of Readers sent in 20 entries, which we as the Jury had to cut down to a long list of 10. The 20 manuscripts in competition were distributed amongst all Jury members – in no particular order.
“We have now assessed them, using our criteria and guideline to come up with a long list.”
The long list will now be distributed amongst jurors to determine the final 5, which will be announced on 1st July 2022.”, according to the Jury head.
About the Prize:
Instituted by Nigerian writer, filmmaker, bookseller and publisher, Onyeka Nwelue, the Prize is administered by the James Currey Society, under the auspices of African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, where Nwelue is an Academic Visitor.
It is supported by Abibiman Publishing, Weston Library, University of Oxford, Naija Times, The Lagos Review, 28 Studios, BellaNaija, Open Country Magazine, Y! Naija, La Cave Musik, FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival, Daniel Ford International, World Arts Agency, Sally Dunsmore, British Council and British Airways.
About James Currey
Described by some literary commentators as “The Godfather of African Literature”, James Currey, together with Chinua Achebe, spent more than a decade pioneering Heinemann’s African Writers Series (AWS), which produced works of many African writers of the 60s through the 80s, and has inspired even young writers of today on the continent.
The AWS publications have been described by Wikipedia as “the set of volumes that was a crucial factor in expanding the reach of African literature after World War II, particularly in English.”
He cut his teeth in publishing at the Cape Town outpost of Oxford University Press, as well as with The New African, a liberal publication, which was in 1964 “stamped on by the Apartheid authorities”, forcing James to go into exile in London same year.
Now in his 80s, he is the co-founder of James Currey Publishers, which was established in 1984, and is responsible for producing a vast number of academic books, journals, fiction and non-fiction books about Africa, especially at a period when it was considered not profitable to publish books about the continent.
