89 Playwrights Compete For $100,000 Drama Prize
Eighty-nine (89) playwrights will compete for the 2018 edition of The Nigerian Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.
The USD$100,000 prize will focus on drama this year.
The 89 entries were formally handed over to the three-man Advisory Board of the prize led by its chairman, Emeritus Prof. Ayo Banjo, with Professors Ben Elugbe and Jerry Agada as members.
They, in turn, handed the entries over to the jury chairman, Prof. Matthew Umukoro.
The hand-over ceremony signified the beginning of the judging process, which will culminate in the announcement of the winner on October 9.
While handing over the entries, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Sadeeq Mai-Bornu, who was represented by Acting Manager, Community Relations, Mr. Godson Dienye, said stakeholders needed to rally round the prize to make it sustainable so it could take its rightful place in the rank of literary prizes in the world.
According to him, “We have received 89 entries this year, lower than what we had in 2014, when drama was also in focus. We must change this trend. All stakeholders must begin to own the prize as theirs and push it to greater heights. We also received two entries for the Literary Criticism Award competition, which unfortunately appears not to attract many entries. I consider this as a huge gap in Nigeria’s literary space. To the judges, I urge you to demonstrate your usual proficiency in administering and adjudicating the process, knowing that the world is earnestly waiting for your announcement of another legendary work.”
Mai-Bornu re-affirmed the commitment of the gas company to the continuity of the prize.
In his remarks, Banjo also stressed the centrality of excellence in the award of the prize. He, however, lamented that children’s literature appears to be the weakest link among the four (poetry, prose, drama and children’s literature) literary genres for honour in the country.
He noted, “We are only bent on awarding the prize to the best entry. The prize stands for nothing but excellence.”
Banjo commended his colleagues on the advisory board and the management of NLNG for the support they have received in administering the prize since 2014.
“We have been fortunate,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed working with them (his colleagues), learning from their advice and competence. NLNG has not waivered on its commitment to the prize. For a petroleum company to be devoted to a literary prize is commendable. We are grateful that we have been able to keep the schedule every year. We are conscious that entry for children’s literature is not only low but of less quality and we hope it improves.”
On his part, the jury chairman, Umukoro said he was aware of the responsibility placed on them as jury members and said they would discharge their duty professionally and admirably.
According to him, “The honour demonstrates the degree of confidence that the board and NLNG have in us. I should be able to spot what is a good play and what is not. The prize is comparable to other literary prizes outside. This is the Nigerian Nobel Prize. We must hold it seriously and dearly. The prize is the greatest image-maker for NLNG. We are conscious of the sensitivity and the enormity of the assignment. Our work is close to Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC); just that we are not counting votes.
“We promise to be fair and just; the question of sentiment does not come in at all. We have to be very objective. The work has to be based on excellence and one that reflects and promotes an aspect of Nigerian culture. It must have some relevance to the Nigerian culture; we want something that promotes our culture and ways of life.”
Umukoro said he was aware of the friction that often erupts between critics and writers, with writers feeling that their work may have been wrongly assessed, adding, “When a critic does his work, the author may find it hard to believe. We are determined to do a thorough job so as to minimise controversy at the end of the day.”
