The shortlist for the 2024 African Writers Awards has been announced! Celebrating excellence in African literature, the awards include the African Teen Writers Awards for Poetry and Prose, the African Writers Awards (Short Stories), the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature, and the Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry. The shortlistees include JAY Lit poetry editor Gabriel Awuah Mainoo who was shortlisted in the Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry category.
Organised alphabetically by category and selected by the judges for the 2024 African Writers Awards are Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda), Tamunomieibi Enoch (Nigeria), Adedokun Ibrahim Anwar (Nigeria) for the African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry and Prose); Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Patrick Nzabonimpa (Rwanda), and Verah Omwocha (Kenya) for the African Writers Awards (Short Stories); Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho), and Namse Udosen (Nigeria) for the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature; and Funminiyi Akinrinade (Nigeria), Autricia Njang (Cameroon), Joy Rita (Kenya), Chipo Chama (Zambia), Patricia P. Ejang (Uganda), and Chidiebere Udeokechukwu (Nigeria) for the Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry, here is list of all shortlisted works:
The 3rd African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry)
- A Prayer to the Unknown by Azizah Bello (Nigeria)
- A Right to Peace by Cynthia Maduekwe (Nigeria)
- A Right to Peace by Saron Redietu (Ethiopia)
- A Right to Peace: The Desperate Wails of the Forgotten by Fatihah Ogbara (Nigeria)
- Craving by Emmanuel Koori (Nigeria)
- Does God Still Loves Me by Ebeneza Vuganzi (Kenya)
- If Peace Was by Joanne Glorie Godfrey (Tanzania)
- Right to Peace by Adrian Nyarko-Boateng (Ghana)
- Should Not All Have Peace by Waris Ntow (Ghana)
- The Gift Of Peace by Semira Ahmed (Ethiopia)
The 3rd African Teen Writers Awards (Prose)
- Five Things Mother Did Not Prepare Me For by Sumaiyah Muhammad (Nigeria)
- The Gentlest Revolution by Tobiloba Ibitoye (Nigeria)
- The Old Rag My Mother Squeezed by Fatima Zahara Abdulwahab (Nigeria)
- The Peace Keeper Journey by Francis Zenom Sati (Nigeria)
- Three Days Inside Loma Mountain by Hanafi Fathia (Nigeria)
- Your love unfurled the wrong way by Fortune Eleojo Simeon (Nigeria)
The 7th African Writers Awards for Short Stories
- Blue Revenge by Raj Bijloll (Mauritius)
- Hushed Stars by John Ebute (Nigeria)
- Kindred Spirits by Winnie Wekesa (Kenya)
- Munyentwali by Tammy Quakers (Nigeria)
- Once Upon a Sad Beginning by Victor Nwachukwu (Nigeria)
- Once Upon a Time in Rwanda by Ceelala Lalasi (Philip Arko Ewusi) (Nigeria)
- The Disgruntled Alumnus by Lina Arop (South Sudan)
- The Rest is History by Celestine Seyon (Nigeria)
- The Sacred Beauty by Jared Nyabaro (Kenya)
- When Love Exits by Elizabeth Dwamena-Asare (Ghana)
The 6th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
- A Close Call – Honored by Absentia by Grace Thuo (Kenya)
- A Tale of 2 Guardians by Thandiwe Chibale (Zambia)
- Bee: One Another’s Keeper by Cynthia Anje Nkweti (Cameroon)
- Food Fights Not So Far Away by Thandeka Mpofu (Zimbabwe)
- Nandera the Brave – A Tale of Triumph by Laura Petite (Tanzania)
- Tapo the Duck by John Karanja (Kenya)
- The Acorn and the Oak by Samuel Admassu (Ethiopia)
- The Magical Forest Adventure by Amanuel Abebaw (Ethiopia)
- Who Stole the King’s Beard? by Rudo Mungoshi (Zimbabwe)
The 1st Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry
- Alhamdulillahi by Azeez Odunjo (Nigeria)
- At Vlekete Market by Eniola Abdulroqueeb Arowolo (Nigeria)
- For Sale, African Drums Designed by Robots by Gabriel Awuah Mainoo (Ghana)
- Gods at the Descent of Spirit by Aderanti Adesoyin (Nigeria)
- Home by Michael Agunbiade (Nigeria)
- In A Cafeteria, A Cyborg Teaches Me Self-Love by Saheed Sunday (Nigeria)
- Let the World Pause a Little by Echezonachi-Maxwell Daniel (Nigeria)
- The Haunting by Adedolapo Grillo (Nigeria)
- These Poems I Write Now by Mk Kuol (South Sudan)
- Why Pumpkin Leaves are my Favourite Mboga by Immaculate Halla (Tanzania)
The 2024 African Writers Awards bring together a celebration of talent and creativity through three distinguished writing competitions organised by Writers Space Africa (WSA). Sponsored by Nahida Esmail and Anthony ‘PenBoss’ Onugba, these awards offer a platform for African writers to showcase their literary prowess while inspiring the next generation of storytellers.
The winners will be announced at the 2024 African Writers Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, scheduled to take place from October 22nd to 27th.
Congratulations to all shortlisted authors on this great win!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
