Ake festival to host review of longlisted books for Etisalat Literature Prize

The nine longlisted books for the Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 will be reviewed at the fourth edition of Ake Arts & Book Festival, an international gathering of authors, writers and literature enthusiasts.

The special session where the books will be reviewed, according to the organisers, is the highlight of this year’s festival.

The books are: Julie Iromuanya, Mr. and Mrs. Doctor (Coffee House Press, USA), Mohale Mashigo, The Yearning (PanMacmillan, SA), Nakhale Toure, Piggy Boy’s Blues (Penguin Random House, USA), Jen Thorpe, The Peculiars (Penguin Random House, USA), Elnathan John, Born on a Tuesday (Cassava Republic, Nigeria), Jowhor Ile, And After Many Days (Farafina an imprint of Kachifo Limited, Nigeria), Andrew Miller, Dub Steps (Jacana Media, South Africa), Jacqui L’Ange, The Seed Thief (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa) and Unathi Magubeni, Nwezelenga: The Star Child (Black Bird Books Imprint of Jacana Media, South Africa).

Elvis Ogiemwanye, director, brands & experience, Etisalat Nigeria, said the telecommunication company has a huge commitment to literature and the promotion of creative endeavors like arts and photography.

“We are delighted to support Ake Arts & Book Festival again this year because it is literary inclined and it aligns with our vision of promoting people’s passion, nurturing talents and providing platforms that enable Africans to communicate their ideas and tell their own stories,” he said.

Ogiemwanye noted that the key objective of bringing the books to Ake Arts & Book Festival is to give many people the opportunity to share in the passions and aspirations of the literary society.

“The Etisalat Prize for Literature wholly embodies our company’s vision, which is to promote and celebrate writers of African descent in order to give credence and honour to ‘home-grown’ talents while encouraging further participation in this area,” he added.

Ake Arts & Book Festival, holding in Abeokuta, Ogun state, started Tuesday, November 15, will end Saturday, the 19.