Of the 73 book entries that were up for review in the 2016 NLNG Literature prize, only 11 have made the shortlist.
Those on the shortlist include; Chika Unigwe’s Night Dancer published in 2014. Sefi Atta, author of the widely popular Everything Good Will Come with her entry A Bit of Difference, Ogochukwu Promise, author of over fifteen novels and founder of Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa and two-time contender for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, with her book Sorrow’s Joy; Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, writer and journalist with Season of Crimson Blossoms; Yejide Kilanko, a writer of poetry and fiction with her debut novel Daughters Who Walk This Path. Ifeoma Okoye, a writer and author of children’s literature got on the list with The Fourth World; and Elnathan John with his novel, Born On A Tuesday. Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, a radio broadcaster joins in with her debut novel On the Bank of the River; Aramide Segun, winner of an Association of Nigerian Authors Prose Prize for her debut book The Third Dimple with her novel Eniitan Daughter of Destiny; Mansim Chumah Okafor, author of two previous books of fiction with The Parable of the Lost Shepherds; and Maryam Awaisu, radio presenter with her first novel, Burning Bright.
The shortlist is made up of veterans and first timers, those within the country and those in diaspora.
The NLNG prize for literature switches between genres annually; Prose fiction, Poetry, Drama and Children’s Literature being the genres it revolves around.
This year’s category is Prose Fiction with a cash prize of $100,000. The shortlist would be further pruned down to three in September.