The winners will be announced at the 2023 African Writers Conference in Accra, Ghana, from November 1st to 5th, 2023.
By Hope Ibiale
African Writers Awards has unveiled the shortlist for its 2023 edition. After releasing the longlist a few weeks ago, the three-in-one literary prize has released its list of writers, unveiled under the African Writers Awards for Poetry, the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature, and the African Teen Writers Awards. The winners will be announced at the 2023 African Writers Conference in Accra, Ghana, from November 1st to 5th, 2023.
The shortlisted writers include:
The 2023 African Writers Awards for Poetry
Nyachide, Emelda Gwitimah (Zimbabwe)
Oracles of Zeros and Ones, Truth Ndubueze (Nigeria)
Robo Fantasies, Mufumba Jonathan (Uganda)
Scorching, Uduogu Victor (Nigeria)
The Nilotic Coddiwomple, Marial Awendit (South Sudan)
The 5th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
Meeme and the Singing Calabash, Grace Tendo Katana (Uganda)
Ngoni Makes a Difference, Kudzai Mhangwa (Zimbabwe)
Tato, Chantelle Chiwetalu (Nigeria)
Thandi and the Hair Whisperer, Lindsay Katchika-Jere (Malawi)
The Red Boy of Zoe Street, Elizabeth Dwamena-Asare (Ghana)
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The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry)
Because Life Began on a Dreamer’s Lips, Bella Ogwuche (Nigeria)
E-M(AI)L, Theresa Shukrani Mulindwa (Zambia)
Home is Where Blood Meets Water, Erinola Daranijo (Nigeria)
Rhythm, Johanna Ataman (Nigeria)
This Poem Leads Back Home, Adedokun Ibrahim (Nigeria)
The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Prose)
A Flipped Coin, Divine Okpe (Nigeria)
African Heritage, Joshua Ojo (Nigeria)
Alone, Oluwanifemi Fagbolagun (Nigeria)
Just When We Thought It’s Aawn, Sa’ada Yahaya (Nigeria)
Treasure in Detention, Ayemi Iyinoluwa (Nigeria)
This year’s awards will be judged by Anthony Onugba as chief judge, alongside Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Testimony Odey (Nigeria), Temwani Mgunda (Malawi), Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Patricia Ejang (Uganda), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Mildred Enoch (Nigeria), Ona Zozoni (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho), and Namse Peter Udosen (Nigeria).
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Established by the African Writers Development Trust, the African Writers Awards was created to celebrate the best-emerging writers in Africa. This year, the winners of the African Teen Writers (Prose and Poetry) category will receive a certificate of achievement and a cash prize of $100. The winner of the African Writers Awards will win $500, an Amazon ebook publishing contract, and a scholarship for a 3-month creative writing course. The first runner-up of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature will receive a certificate and $200, the second-place winner will receive a certificate and $150. The third-place winner will receive a certificate and $100.