Yours was one of the greatest blessings ever bestowed on the human race as a rear genius to uplift , ennoble enlighten , guide thew human entropy to desirable standard of sustainable egalitarianism and from one loftier heights to another...and among the entirety of the human race we are hapily gratified to yoke your excellency among the greatest luminaries of all times as Lev Tolstoy, Alexandra Pushkin, Turgenev, Nikolai Gogol, Tshinderin, Aksakov, Lermontov, Dostoyevsky, Gorge Elliot,Thomas Hardy,Jane Austin, Morbi Dick, Victor Hugo,Von Goethe,.... you are one of the greatest blessings to the entirety of the black race as your greatest exploits at the hour of need removed the reproach from of slavery, colonization, imperialism from our lives ushering into being freedom to all of African continent and to all our brethren in diaspora...it is highly commendable and all of the human family shall continue to cherish your immense contribution to the novae heights of our civilization to its zenith in contemporary epoch....i remain one of your students, reader, follower, admirer and would continue to appreciate your being, essence, senses and sensibilities till the end of time...keep the flag flying...Regard...Prince Frank Onaivi Ukonga-Chairman SDP Edo state of Nigeria
ANNOUNCING THE 2014 WS PRIZE.
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| Proff. wole shoyinka @ the 5th Wole Shoyinka award for Literature announcement equivalent to Nobel prize. |
PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING THE 5TH EDITION of WOLE SOYINKA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE IN AFRICA, TUESDAY 6Th AUGUST 2013, AT VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS.
Distinguished members of the Board of Trustees of the Wole Soyinka Prize For Literature In Africa, Gentlemen of the Press. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all today, as we announce the commencement of preparation for the 5th edition of Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.
BACKGROUND
As you are well aware, The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa was established by the Lumina Foundation in 2005 as a Biennial Award for the best literary work produced by an African. The prize has been serving as an African equivalent of the Nobel Prize, particularly in recognizing and encouraging professional and personal excellence.
KEY POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT THE WS PRIZE
The WS Prize for Literature in Africa assesses works by African authors published within the two years preceding the award year.
The Judges of the Prize are seasoned intellectuals and critics taken from five African countries: Cote D Ivore, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and South Sudan .
At the moment, the Prize money of WS Prize is $20,000USD. We are looking to increasing it in the near future and setting up structures that will sustain the Prize and ensure it continues to realise its objectives.
The omnibus nature of the Prize (Due to the fact that Prof WS writes in all the genres) has also been addressed. Each year, starting from 2014, the Prize will rotate through the following genres, in this order: Published Play or collection of plays by a single author, Published Collection of Poetry by a single author, Published novels (Full length novels or collection of short stories by a single author),
The founding chairman of the Lumina Foundation and Board of The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is Yemi Ogunbiyi, Ph.D.
The current Chairman of The Lumina Foundation and Board of Wole Soyinka Prize Trustees is Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, CON, mni.
The Founder and CEO of The Lumina Foundation and Secretary to The Wole Soyinka Prize Board of Trustees is Ogochukwu Promise, Ph.D.
The Lumina Foundation has administered the prize since 2005 and remains its sole administrator.
Previous winners of the Prize:
The First edition (2006)was won by Sefi Attah with her book, Everything Good Will Come
The second edition (2008)was won by Nnedi Okoroafor with her book Zara: The Windseeker
The third edition (2010)was jointly won by Kopalno Matlewa’s Coconut and Wale Okediran’s Tenants of the House
And the fourth edition (2012) was won by Sifiso Mzobe’s Young Blood
Members of the Board of Trustees, of the WS Prize for Literature in Africa include:
Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, CON, Dr. Ogochukwu Promise, Mr. Jim Ovia, Mrs. Adebola Adetula, Mr. Akin Ajayi, Mr. Donald Duke, Dr. Olu Agunloye, Baajiki Adedeji Akintilo, Gen. Zamani Lekwot,
Previous sponsors of the Prize include Globacom, Macmillan Nigerian Publishers, Ecobank, Sapetro, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Tanus Communications Limited and Oracle Books.
THE GROWTH OF THE WS PRIZE
The growth of the WS Prize is not only in quality, but also in scope and scale: In the first edition of the Prize, we had 87 entries from eight African countries. This grew to 204 entries from ten African countries in the second edition, and by the third edition we had 336 entries from eleven African countries. In the fourth edition, we had 402 entries from twenty-six African countries. Thus far, four awards of the prize have been made, with Nigeria winning in the first and second editions, and tying with South Africa in the third while a South African took home the fourth prize.
Always, Prof. Wole Soyinka hands out the prize in person.
AIMS OF WS PRIZE FOR LITERATURE IN AFRICA
To propagate the dynamics of self enhancement.
To celebrate excellence, patriotism, integrity, heroism, intellectualism and selfless service epitomized by the man, Wole Soyinka.
To generate excellent books (both in content and packaging) authored by Africans.
To foster global harmony through the provision of opportunities for appreciation of cross cultural perspectives.
To extensively promote the authors and their works, according them the recognition they deserve among renowned authors across the world.
To celebrate awesome creative pieces in all their cerebral grace, liberating qualities, the honour and recognition they bring to a myriad of people of diverse cultures and languages.
To provide informative entertainment and create avenues for literary performances.
To make the winning works and short listed works available and affordable.
To generally improve the reading culture and the quality of the books we read.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 2014 WS PRIZE AND CALL FOR ENTRIES
In the past, entries were invited in all the genres because Prof. Wole Soyinka whom the Prize is named after writes in all the genres. Based on the judges’ recommendation, the Board of Trustees has approved that in the future, each edition should assess only one of the genres (Prose, poetry, Drama and Essays). It has therefore been decided that the genre for the fifth edition, taking place in 2014 will be Drama due to the fact that it coincides with Prof. Wole Soyinka’s 80th birthday and since this is the genre he is well known for.
On behalf of the board of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa, I hereby announce the commencement of the preparation for the 5th edition of the prize which will take place here in Nigeria on Saturday July 5 , 2014 and also call for entries.
Any published play or collection of plays by the same author of African descent, published within the two years preceding the year of the Prize (ie play published between 2012 and 2013 ) is eligible for the 2014 WS Prize.
APPRECIATION AND HOPE
Even though it has not been easy administering a prize of this magnitude, especially in the harsh economic environment we operate in, we are glad we have come this far and are indeed forging ahead due to the support and confidence of our very distinguished sponsors, you, our respected friends in the media and of course our committed workforce. We remain grateful to everyone who has helped us in one way or the other and we trust that we will continue to have your cooperation to enable us consistently meet the aims of this prestigious Pan-African prize.
Thank you and God bless you.
Mrs. Francesca Yetunde Emanuel, CON, mni
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