I would like to announce, on behalf of the African Writers Development Trust (AWDT), Writers Space Africa (WSA), and Writers Space Africa – Zambia (WSA-Z), the longlist for both the 2020 African Writers Awards (AWA) and the Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature. We received hundreds of entries per category with the exception of Drama which had less than 100 entries.
The entries for the AWA were judged anonymously and we are pleased to announce the top 15 writers per category. This list will be trimmed to 5 when the shortlist is released on the 19th of October, 2020.
Special thanks to the panel of judges; Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Henry Joe Sakala (Zambia), Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Benny Wanjohi (Kenya) and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).
The longlist is below in no particular order.
Creative Non-Fiction
- Black and Changed – Aganaba Jesudubami – Nigeria
- Covik One Nine: A Nigerian Palaver – Ayoola Ibukun – Nigeria
- Each Little Win – Oladejo Oluyemisi – Nigeria
- Freelandentity – Akintayo Akinjide – Nigeria
- Honey – Eziaghighala Chinaza – Nigeria
- No Role Models – Angoma-Mzini Thulani – South Africa
- Omwami – Owuor Diana – Kenya
- Prejudice: Where The Worms Fester – Okparanma Shiloh – Nigeria
- Requiem for Africa’s Creatively Inept – Mpofu Nathaniel – Zimbabwe
- Tell Me; How Are Men Made – Nwankwo Ugochukwu – Nigeria
- The Intelligent Thief – Nwabueze Vincent – Nigeria
- The Nigerian Hierarchy of Misfortune – Eboseremen Bartholomew – Nigeria
- The Task of an African Narrator – Okombo Dismas – Kenya
- Travelling While African: A Day at The Nairobi Giraffe Centre – Oroni Tendera – Kenya
- Who Stole the Chicken – Agenorwot Mercy – Uganda
Drama
- A Journey in a Circle – Winifred Olúbùnmi Òdúnóku – Nigeria
- Animal City – Simiyu Kefa – Kenya
- Eniobasin (He Who the King Buries) – Adepoju Isaiah – Nigeria
- Fate of Fatherland – Babalola Mathew – Nigeria
- In Our Transcending Cycle? – Chemka Ester – Tanzania
- Jare – Lawrence Abasiama – Nigeria
- Lost Destiny – Ukaorji Ogbonna – Nigeria
- Mungaka – Patience Ghogho Kisob – Cameroon
- Odessey of The Kankafo – Adinoyi Abdulbasit – Nigeria
- Of Friends and Foes – Obuya Dancan – Kenya
- Run Cor COVID – Adepegba Kehinde – Nigeria
- Sanctuary – Oru Ade Joseph – Cameroon
- The Testament of Black Jesus – Nyoni Philani – Zimbabwe
- True Spots – Ojoro Irene Melissa – Kenya
- Who Knows Amanda? – Asoloko Gloria Akayi – Nigeria
Poetry
- African Beauty (Haiku) – Musyoka Susan – Kenya
- Black Pride (Haiku) – Emesowum Chidozie – Nigeria
- Blank Identity (Blank Verse) – Afara Muyiwa – Nigeria
- Effectual Dose (Senryu) – Fatokun Ibukun – Nigeria
- Evolution to Revolution (Pantoum) – Paul Shunom – Nigeria
- Her Afric Identity Is Lectic (Blank Verse) – Babajide Michael – Nigeria
- Her Hair, Her Braids (Blank Verse) – Semir-Nyuiy Terry Kimah – Cameroon
- Manyatta (Blank Verse) – Kilibwa Isaac – Kenya
- Odd Order (Pantoum) – Nkalolang Temani – Botswana
- Ode to The Black People (Blank Verse) – Okunola Peace – Nigeria
- Ode to The Blackbird (Haiku) – Duru Nneka Joyce – Nigeria
- Old and Gold (Pantoum) – Gaygay James – Liberia
- The African Passport (Blank Verse) – Olaleye Emmanuel – Nigeria
- The Vestiges of War (Pantoum) – Popoola Samuel – Nigeria
- Who I Am (Pantoum) – Ogedengbe Tolulope Impact – Nigeria
Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature
- Daudi’s Magical Drum – Muhwezi Simpson – Uganda
- Dear Ije: The Different Sides – Ugwuezema, Lovelyn Amarachi – Nigeria
- Hessy and The Lost Tooth – Halieo Motanyane – Lesotho
- How Must a Boy Feel – Audrey Obuobisa Darko – Ghana
- Kusalwa the Daydreamer – Linda Mwenda – Zambia
- Mbi and Her Cow – Paul Ugbede – Nigeria
- Scared Little Boy – Madeha Ezekial Malecela – Tanzania
- Sophie What Do You Say? Blessing Aliyu Tarfa – Nigeria
- The Great Drought – Blessing Amatemeso – Nigeria
- The Great Escape – Iwu Chibueze – Nigeria
- The Magic Book – Oketunde Judith Oluwatomi – Nigeria
- The Two Sisters – Leonard Maero W. – Kenya
- Tiems Tragedy – Adodo Ruth Enoguehi – Nigeria
- Tortoise Goes to School- Steve Ogah – Nigeria
- Wakini’s New Home- Nettabella Rachael Simiyu – Kenya
Best wishes to the longlisted writers.
Anthony Onugba
Chief Judge,
2020 African Writers Awards
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Wow. What a list and congratulations to the writers and judges.
I know the trimming will be quite an tough call to select before the 19th nonetheless I applaud the people who made the list. Keep defining yourself by your write-ups for it gives a new perspective of Africa.
Long live Writers Space Africa.
Long live the Winners of the List
Congratulations to the long listed writers.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to everyone who featured in the longlist
This is wonderful, encouraging and good work. On creative non fiction, numbered 14, TRAVELING WHILE AFRICAN; am happy to meet my Secondary school mate, Oroni Tendera Ibrahim from Kenya. How do I get his copy of the book? Am in Kitale, Kenya.
Good work. African writers need to be encouraged. I am a deep reader of African literary works, reading frong youni writers like Kenya’s Oroni Tandera will be therapeutic!
Congratulations to them all!! Shine on💪💪 God’s got you!
What about us who only write quotes?
We do not accept quotes at this time.
Congratulations to me and others who made this long list.
When are getting the final list
The final list will be announced during the award presentation on Saturday, November 7th, in Lusaka.
congratulations to everyone who made it in the longlist