2014 and Nigerian Literature: The Year in Review

ZODML welcomes you to this New Year with a flash from our past.
The Nigerian literary world has experienced a rapid growth in recent times and the year 2014 witnessed an improvement on the past. Let us journey through some of the literary activities of 2014.
In March, Etisalat announced the winners for the Etisalat Prize for Literature - Uche Okonkwo, Bonaventure Chukwu , Nzere Jeremiah, NoViolet Bulawayo, Yewande Omotosho and Karen Jenning.
April saw Wole Soyinka announcement of  the shortlist for the Caine Prize for African Writing at the ceremony marking Port Harcourt's tenure as World Book Capital. The film version of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, took place in Lagos Nigeria and also premiered in the UK and US.
In the month of  May, two up-and-coming Nigerian writers - Adelehin Ijasan and Chinelo Okparanta - made their mark on the Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist. Last year, Nigeria International Book Fair held at the University of Lagos. ZODML staff  and a group of students from partner school Falomo Junior High School paid a visit to the fair.
In July, Akin Bello won the 2014 Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa and was rewarded with $20,000, organized by the Lumina Foundation and sponsored by Globacom in honour of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in literature, Wole Soyinka.
In September, Nigerian joined South Africa, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, on the 2014 Golden Baobab Prizes Longlist. Mary Okon Ononokpono (Nigeria) made the cut with her story Talulah the Time Traveller. The world celebrated Literacy Day; the staff of Stanbic IBTC Bank came to the ZODML Community Library in September to meet with students and discuss Chimamanda Adichie’s award-winning novel Half of a Yellow Sun and more; Port Harcourt- UNESCO's World Book Capital held it’s Book Festival in October and witnessed  the presence of some literary icons- Tope Folarin, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Chibundu Onuzo, Chika Unigwe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lola Shoneyin, Rotimi Babatunde, Taiye Selasi Ukamaka to mention a few. Sam Ukala - writer, director, and academic won the 2014 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature for his play Iredi War.
In November, the 2nd Annual Ake Arts and Book festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The festival featured five days of book chats, panel discussions, school visits, art exhibitions, art performances, competitions, book sales, dances, films, and much more. The 4th edition of the Muazu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) International Literary Colloquium held in Minna. It drew participants from different parts of Nigeria, with a keynote presented by Professor Pius Adesanmi. The 16th Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF) also took place in November in honour of Wole Soyinka at 80. The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) also revealed the list of successful authors for the 2014 Nigerian Writers Series.
 
In December, Nigeria writer- Chinelo Okparanta made the shortlist of three writers for the Etisalat Prize for Literature. The Association of Nigerian Authors’ prize winners were revealed - May Ifeoma Nwoye , Su’eddie Vershima Agema, Ebi Yeibo, Soji Cole, Immanuel James  and Tunji Ajibade.