Literary prizes in ... Africa

       In Vanguard Obi Nwakanma writes On the integrity of Nigerian literary prizes -- beginning with the observation that:

There is no innocent literary prize just as no writing is innocent and free of value. Every piece of writing is a political act, and every prize made to a writer is an act of validation and an expression of a given value -- the specific and subjective value of the awarding institution.

       And just to make clear to readers where he's coming from (despite where he's landed -- UCF) -- i.e. that he isn't exactly on board with America's Oprah-take on African lit --, he argues

Such prizes out of London and New York continue to validate and sustain a view of Africa defiantly constructed by such highly acclaimed but trashy novels like Uzo Iweala's Beast of No Nation or Uwem Akpan's unreadable and utterly reprobate stories

       Reprobate ! Utterly ! (That would presumably be the much-hailed collection Say You're One of Them, by the way.)

       Meanwhile, Kwami? has announced:

To celebrate the African novel and its adaptability and resilience, Kwani Trust announces a one-off new literary prize for African writing. The Kwani? Manuscript Project calls for the submission of unpublished fiction manuscripts from African writers across the continent and in the Diaspora.

       Maybe the winning manuscript will be something even Obi Nwakanma can approve of ..... (I certainly encourage you to submit your manuscript !)
       See also Christine Mungai's report on Kwani? one-off literary prize for Africa writing in The East African.