Glo launches literature prize for students, lauded by ExodusFor Arts
Telecom giants, Globacom have announced the launch of an annual literary contest for undergraduate students.
The Glo Literature Prize for Undergraduates students was announced last weekend at an “Evening with Soyinka and Nigeria’s Outstanding Stars” held in Lagos.
The company explained that the prize is meant to engender literary studies among youths and boost creativity and keen competition in the subject in tertiary institutions.
Ebenezar Kolawole, the Gloworld Coordinator who announced the prize said, “Our objective is to promote the study of all genres of literature. Therefore, Globacom is offering prizes to winners in the following categories: Prose, Drama and Poetry. The winner in each category will receive the sum of N1.5m (one million, five hundred thousand naira),” he explained, adding that this is the first time that any organisation has offered prizes for all the three genres of literature at this level of competition.
The company has constituted a panel of distinguished academics including Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor (Mrs.) Akachi Ezeigbo of the University of Lagos, Professor Umar Buratai, Dean, Faculty of the Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Olu Obafemi of the University of Ilorin and Dr. Promise Ogochukwu, who is the secretary of the panel.
Reacting to the institution of the prize, ExodusForArt, a literary NGO, lauded the company for setting up the prize.
In a press statement, President of the organization, Mr Tunji Ajibade said, “It was with great pleasure we received the effort by Glo, a household name in the telecom industry in Nigeria and across continents, to give literature a boost through this award that targets students, and generally the younger generation of creative writers which ExodusForArt has especially been interested in.”
The literary organization praised the fact that Glo would give awards in three different genres of creative writing - Fiction, Poetry and Drama while further noting that this would encourage talented writers in the different genres to participate each year.