Nigerians Top List: 38 Outstanding Writers Longlisted for 2023 African Writers Awards

Nigerians Top List: 38 Outstanding Writers Longlisted for 2023 African Writers Awards

“We take great pride in the remarkable talent showcased within these selected submissions, and we want to convey our warmest congratulations to the writers whose works have earned a place on the longlist.”

 “This year, we received a multitude of entries that showcased the immense talent and creativity of writers from across the African continent and beyond. Each submission offered a unique and compelling perspective, making the task of compiling the longlist a truly arduous but rewarding endeavor,” Anthony Onugba, Chief Judge and founder of Writers Space Africa, said in a media release for the 2023 African Writers Awards. Nigeria dominated the list of 38 outstanding writers, with 25 names on the recently released list of writers for awards in poetry, children’s Literature, and prose and poetry writings from teenagers. 

Four Nigerians are running in the poetry category alongside two Kenyans and Ugandans. South Sudan and Zimbabwe each have one entrant on the list.

Two Nigerian writers are penned down for the Wakini Prize for Children’s Literature, while Ghana, Malawi, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Uganda have one representative each. Of the ten poets in the African Teen Writers Awards poetry category, Nigeria has nine entrants, while Zambia has the other lone spot. The prose category of the Teen Awards is an all-Nigerian affair, with the country taking all ten places on the longlist. 

The 2023 African Writers Awards for Poetry

Coded Tongue by Mirriam Kalekye (Kenya)

Dear AI by Dr Pat Ashinze (Nigeria)

Nyachide by Emelda Gwitimah (Zimbabwe)

Oracles of Zeros and Ones by Truth Ndubueze (Nigeria)

Robo Fantasies by Mufumba Jonathan (Uganda)

Samantha by Alex Lwanda (Kenya)

Scorching by Uduogu Victor (Nigeria)

The AI Dawn by Seyi Ojenike (Nigeria)  

The Nilotic Coddiwomple by Marial Awendit (South Sudan)

Whispers of Codes by Isabel Nowemigisha (Uganda)

The 5th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature

Meeme and the singing Calabash by Grace Tendo Katana (Uganda)

Ngoni Makes a Difference by Kudzai Mhangwa (Zimbabwe)

Omelet the Dreaming Flying Dodo by Winnie Maluli (Kenya)

Secret Mission Man by Silindiwe Sibanda (South Africa)

Tato by Chantelle Chiwetalu (Nigeria)

Thandi and the Hair Whisperer by Lindsay Katchika-Jere (Malawi)

The Girl with a Halo by Ayodele Oyeku (Nigeria)

The Red Boy of Zoe Street by Elizabeth Dwamena-Asare (Ghana)

The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry)

 A Gulp from my Porch by Fatima Abdulwahab (Nigeria)

Because Life Began on a Dreamers Lips by Bella Ogwuche (Nigeria)

E-M(AI)L by Theresa Shukrani Mulindwa (Zambia)

Grief garden- beautiful broken by Ehijokwu Onyinyechi Rita (Nigeria)

Home is Where Blood Meets Water by Erinola Daranijo (Nigeria)

Lost Identity by Amina Muhammad (Nigeria)

Rhythm by Johanna Ataman (Nigeria)

This Poem Leads Back Home by Adedokun Ibrahim (Nigeria)

Unveiled Radiance: A Tribute to Black Women by Olamide Jamiu (Nigeria)

Yet Again by Abimbola Akinyemi (Nigeria)

The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Prose)

A Flipped Coin by Divine Okpe (Nigeria)

African Heritage by Joshua Ojo (Nigeria)

Alone by Oluwanifemi Fagbolagun (Nigeria)

Family Bond by Esther Oluwatuminimu Opayemi (Nigeria)

Father is Desolated Body by Abioye Aisha (Nigeria)

Just When We Thought It’s Dawn by Sa’ada Yahaya (Nigeria)

Midnight is the Carnival of a Dead Man by Ndakotsu Abubakar (Nigeria)

My Country my Pride by Fayemi Oyinoluwa (Nigeria)

Mysteries Untold by Vyangel Aorabee (Nigeria)

Treasure in Detention by Fayemi Iyinoluwa (Nigeria)

Judges for the African Writers Awards are Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Testimony Odey (Nigeria), Temwani Mgunda (Malawi), Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Tamunomieibi Enoch (Nigeria), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho), and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).

“We take great pride in the remarkable talent showcased within these selected submissions, and we want to convey our warmest congratulations to the writers whose works have earned a place on the longlist. We invite you to stay tuned as we progress to the next phase of our awards, which includes the eagerly anticipated announcement of the shortlist on October 2,” Anthony Onugba said. He added: “Furthermore, we want to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to honoring and celebrating the exceptional literary artistry that flourishes within our vibrant and diverse literary community. We also extend our sincere appreciation once again to our esteemed panel of judges for their invaluable support.”

The first edition of the African Writers Awards was held in 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.