Nigerian writer Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun has been announced as the winner of the inaugural Élékéré Short Story Prize with his story, “Sweet Salt,” earning him a $500 cash award.
Launched in 2026, the Élékéré Short Story Prize was established by independent literary publisher Élékéré Press to spotlight, celebrate, and empower unpublished short fiction by Black writers across Africa and the diaspora. For its inaugural edition, writers were invited to respond to the theme “Inheritance,” with stories considering what is passed down, carried forward, resisted, remembered, or remade.
The judging panel was chaired by Nigerian writer Arinze Ifeakandu, author of God’s Children Are Little Broken Things, and had seven shortlisted writers, from which Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun emerged as the overall winner. In Arinze Ifeakandu’s words of praise, he said:
“I was most struck by Olúwatúnmiṣe’s story for its beautiful, controlled language, its characters painted in vivid yet muted colours, and its strange and expert execution of the theme.”
A 2025 Idembeka Writing Fellow, Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun’s fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in literary publications including Efiko Magazine, Afrocritik, Tough Poets Review, Mbari Magazine, The Journal and The Culture Custodian. He is also working on his debut short story collection, God Save The Family, as well as a short novel titled This Way Is Forward.
Élékéré Press has also announced plans to publish its first title, Mismemories, in November 2026, alongside a podcast in December, focusing on books by Black and African writers, before opening its first manuscript submission call in early 2027. The Élékéré Short Story Prize is also expected to return in the first quarter of 2027.
Read Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun’s winning story here.
Congratulations, Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun!
