Bolaji Abdullahi, ex-minister of youth development, has announced the launch of a writing contest for writers based in Kwara state.
In a statement on Monday, the organisers said entries for the maiden edition of the Bolaji Abdullahi Prize for Literature will be accepted between May 3 and July 3.
According to the statement, a longlist of 10 entries will be announced in September and a shortlist of three in October while the winner will be unveiled in November.
It noted that the judging panel for the contest will be unveiled in due course.
The statement added that the contest, initiated in February 2021, is aimed at deepening storytelling culture and promoting literature in the country.
The winner of the contest is expected to clinch a cash prize of N300,000 while the second and third will go home with N150,000 and N50,000 respectively.
The statement added that the contest only welcomes original and unpublished fictional works with a minimum of 2,500 words and a maximum of 7,500 words.
It stated that entries from writers above 40-year-old as of the time of submission would be disqualified.
“Being a writer himself, a lover of stories, and a man who cares a great deal about the progress of his community, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi has instituted the prize to serve as a platform for the discovery of new creative talent and invariably to promote literature across the state and ultimately across the country,” the statement read.
Announcing The Bolaji Abdullahi Prize for Literature! pic.twitter.com/qk79ynQ339
— The Bolaji Abdullahi Prize (@thebaprize) May 3, 2021
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“The prize hopes to bring awareness to the art of storytelling, to find new voices, to encourage those already telling our stories, and to recognise and reward the efforts of those who have ventured into this art form by awarding a total cash prize of half a million naira to the best three entries.
“The competition is open only to unpublished short stories by writers who live in Kwara state regardless of their state of origin. This means as long as you live in Kwara State, as a student, indigene, worker, or in whatever capacity, you are eligible for the prize.”
The statement noted that participants can submit their entries here.
Abdullahi served as a minister under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, former Nigerian president.
He is the author of ‘Sweet Sixteen’ and ‘On A Platter of Gold-How Jonathan Won and Lost Nigeria’.
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