NLNG receives 124 entries for 2014 Nigeria literature prize

Mohammed Shosanya, Lagos Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited has received 124 entries for the 2014 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, its flagship CSR initiative and Africa’s most prestigious literary prize. Five entries were also received for the award for literary criticism, introduced in 2012.

The entries were handed over through the Advisory Board for Literature to the Panel of Judges chaired by Charity Angya, Professor of Theatre and Drama, at the Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State. Other members of the panel include Prof. Ahmed Yerima, playwright and past winner of the prize in 2006 and Prof. Nasiru Akanji, a well-respected scholar and professor of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin. Also on the panel is Prof. Sirayi, a playwright and Dean, Faculty of the Arts, at Tshwane University of Technology, South-Africa, who will serve as an international consultant.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature is awarded yearly and alternates amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year is for drama.

For the award for literary criticism, which has not been awarded since introduced, special consideration shall be given to critical essays on the works of the new generation of Nigerian writers.

Entries for this award must have been published in a reputable international literary journal.

The prize now in its 11th year, is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited to reward excellence and celebrate works of outstanding merit in literature.