Author of “The Road Does Not End”, Olubunmi Familoni, has been named the winner of the 2024 Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited.
The announcement was made at the Grand Award Night held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, on Friday evening.
Familoni, whose book addresses the pressing issue of child labour in society, was one of three finalists in this year’s competition, which comes with a cash prize of $100,000.
“The Road Does Not End” delves into themes of resilience, human connection, and the ongoing pursuit of self-improvement.
Speaking about the book, the Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, remarked, “The Road Does Not End addresses critical social issues, particularly child labour, and explores the importance of relationships and personal growth. The book shows how resilience can help overcome societal challenges.”
The two other shortlisted works were “A Father’s Pride” by Ndidi Chiazor-Enenmo and “Wish Maker” by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike.
This year’s prize focused on children’s literature, highlighting stories that shape young minds.
The Advisory Board had earlier released a longlist of 11 selected works in July 2024.
Speaking about the selection process, Adimora-Ezeigbo emphasized, “We prioritised excellence and the impact the shortlisted books could have on young Nigerians.
“This prize is not just about literary merit but also about the messages that resonate with the future generation.”
This year’s panel of judges, led by Professor Saleh Abdu of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, also included Professor Vicky Sylvester and Dr. Osarobu Igudia.
Reflecting on the quality of the submissions, Abdu noted, “Children’s literature requires a careful balance of creativity and moral value, and the works we selected exemplify this balance.”
In his response to the announcement, Familoni extolled his Mum and his wife. He said, “I also want to thank the love of my life (my wife Isioma), and my mum as well. She made me read all those books; they got me to where I am today. Thank you, mum!”
Star writer Olubunmi Familoni expressed his emotions in an emotional, celebratory, and grateful tone after winning The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2024 for the children’s literature category worth USD$100,000 when he stepped up to the podium to receive his diadem for his hard-fought win. That was how much the two women in his life mattered to him in his writing journey, and he wasn’t shy in praising them.
“I’m very grateful for this, first to God for putting these words in me. Everybody has talent, but there’s a supreme being. So, I’m very grateful to him. I’m also very grateful to everybody that has been with me on this journey. I’m grateful to my publisher, Mr. Servio Gbadamosi”.
Over the years, Familoni has written plays, screenplays, short fiction, and essays. His debut collection of stories, Smithereens of Death won the ANA Prize for Short Stories in 2015; his debut play, Every Single Day, was selected by the British Council for production as part of the Lagos Theatre Festival; his children’s book, I’ll Call My Brother For You, won the ANA Prize for Children’s Literature in 2020. His works have appeared in Jalada Africa, Ake Review, Bakwa Magazine, Afridiaspora Anthology, Agbowo, and Kikwetu Literary Journal, among many others.
By this win, Familoni has joined the league of the prize’s children’s literary laureate and the company of Jude Idada (Boom Boom – 2019), Adeleke Adeyemi (The Missing Clock – 2011) and joint winning by Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo and Mabel Segun (My Cousin Sammy and The Readers’ Theatre – 2007)
In fact in its 13th year since establishing The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, it has only been awarded six times. There were no winners in its first two editions in 2012 and 2013 until 2014 when Prof. Isidore Diala won it. 2015, 2016 and 2017 was returned a ‘no winner’ verdict until 2018 when again Prof. Isidore Diala won it, the only critic to have won it twice. Dr. Abba A. Abba won it in 2019, Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike won it in 2021, Dr. Sakiru Adebayo won the prize in 2022, and last year, the prize went to Dr. Eyoh Etim.
Next year writers will vie for the prose fiction genre, which promises to be a year of keen contest if some of the great prose works published so far are submitted for the prize. Already we can wet the appetite of readers and followers of Nigerian literature with the books that would likely be up for the contest next year. Three heavyweights readily come to mind. There’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who is coming out with her fourth book Dream Count (Narrative Landscape Press) in March 2025. Chigozie Obioma’s third book The Road to the Country (Masobe) is already being enjoyed by readers across the world in its immersion into real battle lines during the Nigeria Civil War. Sadly, Adichie and Obioma have not featured in The Nigeria Prize for Literature so far in spite of having published some great works like Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanna for Adichie, and The Fishermen and An Orchestra of Minorities by Obioma. There’s also the winner for 2016 with his work Season of Crimson Blossom, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim who has a bold new work When We Were Fireflies (Masobe) that is a narrative marvel. Uwem Akpan’s novel New York, My Village (Perrasia) will also be in contest next year and present stiff contest in its searing evocation of the nasty side of life in New York and in Nigeria.
Drama is the only genre in the prize’s 4-year circle in 20 years that has not suffered ‘no winner’ verdict yet. Hard Ground by Ahmed Yerima was the first book to win in the drama category in 2007; this was followed by Esiaba Irobi’s Cemetery Road in 2010. In 2014 Iredi War fetch Sam Ukala, a professor of theatre, now deceased, the prize, followed by Soji Cole in 2018 with his play Embers. Grit fetched another university don Obari Gomba the prize in 2023 in the long line of academics who have won in the drama category of The Nigeria Prize for Literature. Remarkably, all winners of the drama prize have all been academics. No non-academic has won it so far.
Chika Unigwe who won the prose prize in 2012 with her novel On Black Sisters Street also has a new book The Middle Daughter (2023) that could compete for the prize next year. Although less popular on the Nigerian literary scene largely because she does not engage, Ukamaka Olisakwe’s Don’t Answer When They Call Your Name (2024) is a possibility in the contest for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2025. Of course, there will also be a lot of other writers who will participate but who are perhaps still honing their craft; there is no doubt that the prize will continue to attract a large followership as it begins another 20-year circle after it was instituted in 2004!
Already, Noirledge, Masobe, Narrative Landscape Press, Ouida, Parresia and a few other independent press are the new publishing brides in the Nigerian literary scene. They are defining the pace of creative writing and getting accolades for their works. Already, Noirledge Publishing has two prize winners in its kitty – Idada (2019) and Familoni (2024).
