The Co-founder of The Village Square Journal, Obinna Udenwe has been shortlisted for the NLNG sponsored Nigeria Prize for Literature alongside 10 others.
The first shortlist which was announced on Sunday, July 4th 2021 by the Advisory Board of the Prize has eleven books in contention.
Obinna Udenwe is shortlisted for his latest book, Colours of Hatred – a novel about the Egbufor family and their journey traversing through the turbulent sea of life. The book tells of this family’s escape from Sudan during the Sudanese civil war into Nigeria where their father, James, becomes a billionaire, joins politics, finances a coup and becomes one of Nigeria’s leading politician, yet is blinded by hate and greed for wealth and fame. His daughter, Leona suffers for this greed as it tears the family apart.
Colours of Hatred, published by Regium, an imprint of Parresia Publishers LTD, Lagos Nigeria is Obinna Udenwe’s latest book after the controversial and award winning Satans & Shaitans.
Obinna Udenwe has been in the news recently for his short story, ‘It Has to do with Emilia’ optioned for film and television by Bridget Pickering at Bump Films. His story ‘John 101, or The New Ridiculous Way to Commit Suicide and be Famous’ won the Prairie Schooner Glenna Luschei Prize, while his manuscript of short stories was a finalist in the Prairie Schooner – Raz Schumakar Prize of the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
The shortlist was presented by the Chairman, Panel of Judges for this year’s prize, Professor Toyin Jegede, who is a professor of Literature in English at the University of Ibadan. The books in contention for this year’s NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature include: “Delusion of Patriots” by Obianuju V. Chukwuorji; “Give Us Each Day” by Samuel Monye; “Imminent River” by Anaele Ihuoma; “In The Name of Our Father” by Olukorede S. Yishau and “Mountain of Yesterday” by Tony Nwaka. Others are: “Neglected” by Lucy Chiamaka Okwuma; “Colours of Hatred” by Obinna Udenwe, “The Girl with The Louding Voice” by Abi Dare; “The Return of Half- Something” by Chukwudi Eze; “The Son of The House” by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia; and “Your Church My Shrine” by Law Ikay Ezeh.
A second shortlist of three is expected to be announced in September while a winner will be announced in October.
Congratulations, Obinna Udenwe.