NLNG LITERARY PRIZE: MATTERS ARISING

Nats O. Agbo urges publishers to invest in young writers

Last Monday, October 9, 2017, the advisory board of the 2017 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, an initiative of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) unveiled Ikeogu Oke, a writer, poet and journalist as winner. His work, The Heresiad, dusted 183 others, with Tanure Ojaide’s work, Songs of Myself: Quartet and Ogaga Ifowodo’s A Good Mourning, as its closest rivals. Indeed, the contest between the last three works was so close that the panel of judges, made up of Ernest Emenyonu, Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Michigan-Flint, USA, Dr. Razinat Mohammed, Associate Professor of Literature at the University of Maiduguri and Tade Ipadeola, poet, lawyer and winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2013 as well as the external judge, Ghana’s Professor Abena P.A. Busia, toyed with the idea of a joint award, as was the case in 2007.

But as Professor Ayo Banjo, chairman of the advisory board observed, a joint award would have reduced its significance. He praised the judges for picking the best three entries because “poetry competition for the prize is always very fierce and very interesting”. A measure of the thoroughness of the judges’ work could be gauged from the revelation that the three judges and the external judge, though working independently, arrived at the same conclusions about the winning entry. Ikeogu Oke’s victory did not come as a surprise to people who are familiar with his works. Some of his works are Salutes Without Guns, The Tortoise and the Princess, The Lion and the Monkey, In the Wings of Waiting and Where I was Born. As Professor Emenyonu, who is the chairman of the panel of judges observed, “Oke’s poetry collection reveals a conscious, /deliberate manipulation of language and philosophy in the style that reminds us of the writings of great Greek writers of Homeric and Hellenistic periods.”

What surprised people at the world press conference was the revelation that the aspect of literary criticism, which attracts a princely sum of one million naira, did not produce a winner. That aspect of the contest, which is open to lecturers in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, requires that a contestant submits three of his works that were published three years before the year of the contest. Ridiculously, only five entries were received. Out of the five, three of them published their essays in 2010, meaning that they either could not read or comprehend the guidelines. The two entries that complied with the guidelines were, however, very poorly written and could not be recommended for the award.

How did the Nigerian University system degenerate to this

A MEASURE OF THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE JUDGES’ WORK COULD BE GAUGED FROM THE REVELATION THAT THE THREE JUDGES AND THE EXTERNAL JUDGE, THOUGH WORKING INDEPENDENTLY, ARRIVED AT THE SAME CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE WINNING ENTRY

level where lecturers are unable to write publishable essays? Only a few years ago, The Guardian Literary Series, which formed the contents of two books, attracted quality works from the likes of Ernest Emenyonu, S.E. Ogude, G.G. Darah, Biodun Jeyifo, Kalu Uka, Ezenwa Ohaeto, Olu Obafemi and several others. Today, the university system is unable to produce lecturers with the zeal to excel in literary criticism. This writer finds it ridiculous and astonishing that lecturers in Nigeria have not taken this contest seriously. As a member of the advisory board, Jerry Agada, observed, it appears as if the lecturers want the NLNG to teach them how to eat the food it had prepared for them.

Some might argue that the prize money of one million naira is the reason for the lack of interest in the contest. That may not be true because the broader picture is beyond money; the recognition should be the ultimate consideration of every contestant. Others wonder if the contest was given adequate publicity. The NLNG sent letters to the appropriate departments in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education; in other words the publicity was adequate.

The lukewarm attitude to this aspect of The Nigeria Price for Literature is evidence that some people are yet to appreciate the roles being played by the NLNG in revitalising interest in Literature. Erstwhile established publishers have not been encouraging young writers in Nigeria; instead they are recycling old titles like King Solomon’s Mines, Chike and the River, and a host of other books that are out of the shelves in other countries. Publishers should key into the NLNG Literary Prize by investing in young writers so that more quality creative works can come out of their fertile minds.

The NLNG Literary Prize has reinvigorated interest in Literature, especially with about 2,000 published books submitted for the contest in 13 years. The 2017 edition of the contest alone generated 184 entries. As Professor Emenyonu noted, “the seriousness with which the NLNG literary prize is received by the teeming population of writers in Nigeria is a sign that the expectations of writers swing beyond the prize itself to that of portraying their creativity.” An elated Kudo Eresia-Eke, General Manager, External Relations at the NLNG, said: “We at NLNG are proud of this additional achievement. National and international interest in both the prize and process are increasing and this is good for the prize and for Nigeria.”