Arts & Culture

Nigerian Writer, Other New Voices Dominate Booker Prize Nominations

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

NewTimes

A graceful novel about a squash prodigy battling grief on court, a dystopia that reimagines Ireland as a totalitarian state and a coming-of-age tale about a neurodiverse teenager are among 13 titles longlisted for this year’s Booker Prize.

The longlist, announced in a news release on Tuesday, features only a handful of novels by celebrated authors, including Sebastian Barry’s “Old God’s Time,” about a retired policeman confronting painful memories, and Paul Harding’s “This Other Eden,” about a mixed-race community that faces eviction from its island home.

Instead, the list is dominated by works by lesser-known writers, including four debuts. On the list is Nigerian writer Ayòbámi Adébáyò, “A Spell of Good Things”.

The New York Times quoted Esi Edugyan, an author who is the chair of this year’s judges, as saying in the news release that the list was “defined by its freshness — by the irreverence of new voices, by the iconoclasm of established ones.”

Ayobami Adebayo

All the nominated books “cast new light on what it means to exist in our time, and they do so in original and thrilling ways,” Edugyan added.

The four debut books are “If I Survive You,” by Jonathan Escoffery, about a Jamaican family in Miami; “Pearl,” by Sian Hughes, about a mother’s disappearance; “All the Little Bird-Hearts,” by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow, which is told from the perspective of a mother with autism; and “Western Lane,” by Chetna Maroo, about the grieving squash player and her family.

Among the other nominees are “How to Build a Boat,” by Elaine Feeney, about a neurodiverse schoolboy and the teachers who help him, and the forthcoming “Prophet Song,” by Paul Lynch, about an Irish society falling under the grip of authoritarianism.

Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize is one of the world’s most coveted literary awards, given each year to the author of a novel written in English and published in Britain or Ireland. It is often seen as the capstone of a writer’s career, but the award has also regularly made new literary stars. Recent winners have included Bernardine Evaristo, Douglas Stuart and Marlon James.

Last year, the Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka won the prize with “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida,” a satire exploring the trauma of his country’s civil war. After the announcement, the book’s sales jumped to more than 100,000 copies and it has now been translated into 19 languages, the Booker Prize Foundation said in Tuesday’s news release.

This year’s judges will now narrow the longlist down to a six-book shortlist, scheduled to be revealed on Sep. 21. The winning book, whose author will receive a 50,000 pound prize, about $64,000, will be announced at a ceremony in London on Nov. 26.

The full longlist is:

Ayòbámi Adébáyò, “A Spell of Good Things”

Sebastian Barry, “Old God’s Time”

Sarah Bernstein, “Study for Obedience”

Jonathan Escoffery, “If I Survive You”

Elaine Feeney, “How to Build a Boat”

Paul Harding, “This Other Eden”

Siân Hughes, “Pearl”

Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow, “All the Little Bird-Hearts”

Paul Lynch, “Prophet Song”

Martin MacInnes, “In Ascension”

Chetna Maroo, “Western Lane”

Paul Murray, “The Bee Sting”

Tan Twan Eng, “The House of Doors”

Related Topics:“A Spell of Good Things”Ayòbámi Adébáyò Booker Prize Featured London longlist Nigerian writer novels

Up Next

Toyin Falola’s New Book, Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni And African Decolonial Studies, Explores Decoloniality Discourse

Don't Miss

Call For Abstracts: International Centenary Conference On Lenin, Leninism, Africa & The World

Click to comment

Arts & Culture

Ojude Oba Poised To Become A Global Event – Abiodun

Published

6 months ago

June 19, 2024

NewTimes

L-R: Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; former Senator representing Ogun East, Senator Lekan Mustapha; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona at the 2024 Ojude Oba festival held, at the Ojude Oba Pavilion, Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has said that his administration is poised at making the Ojude Oba festival a global event.

The governor who stated this on Tuesday at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival held at the Ojude Oba Pavilion in Ijebu-Ode, said the annual event has grown from a mere gathering of Ijebu people to felicitate the Awujale to an event that attracts both national and global audience.

According to the governor, the festival, which has become a tourist attraction, symbolizes and reflects the collective unity of the people known for hard work, perseverance, and industry.

He said: “Ojude Oba festival is not only a cultural heritage for the indigenes of Ijebuland but has now become a significant event that attracts local and foreign tourists to Ogun State, showcasing our hospitality and enviable tradition of Ijebuland to the national and global audience.

“This festival serves as a symbol of our unity, tourism and a rallying point to all the Ijebu sons and daughters to celebrate the life and times of our tradition, culture, and revered monarch.

“It has become a catalyst for the development of Ijebuland, and this undoubtedly underscores the importance of preserving our traditions for future generations.

“By standing for unity and harmony, we elevate our community and set an example for others to follow. The essence of unity and harmony in Ijebuland can be seen willingly in cultural events like this festival.

“Our administration is deeply committed to supporting the initiative to make it a permanent event in the global tourism industry,” he said.

The event, Prince Abiodun observed, creates opportunities for an advancement which has brought about the socio-economic development not only to the axis but the state as a whole.

While thanking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for showing interest in expanding the festival, especially with plans to include it in the UNESCO’s world cultural heritage, the governor said his administration was committed to providing the conducive environment for business to thrive.

He said the festival provides an opportunity for the Ijebu people to take stock and project the future. He called for unity and harmony from people across the state, adding that it was time to work together to build a virile state.

“The state government will continue to create a conducive atmosphere for community development across the state and I solicit the support of the people, especially all the sons and daughters towards the 20th National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, 2024, part of which will be hosted right here in Ijebu-Ode,” the governor concluded.

Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Hannatu Musa-Musawa, who was represented by Rev. Ben Ugo, Director of Cultural Industry and Heritage, said her ministry was working towards promoting and preserving cultural heritage of President Tinubu’s administration with the creation of economic expansion to the tune of $100bn.

He acknowledged the cultural diversity of Nigerians, noting that the federal government is working towards making the country a cultural hub by the year 2030.

The Chairman of the 2024 Ojude Oba festival, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, appreciated the governor for his support for the festival and the people for turning up en masse to grace the occasion.

Arts & Culture

Meet Shaibu Husseini, The New Sheriff At NFVCB

Published

11 months ago

January 13, 2024

NewTimes

Dr Shaibu Husseini

By Esther Kainebi-Daniel

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, January 12, approved the appointment of Dr. Shaibu Husseini as the new Director General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), succeeding Adedayo Thomas.

Dr Shaibu, is a celebrated journalist, performing artist, cultural administrator, public relations and media expert, and film curator. He is an alumnus of Lagos State University (LASU) where he studied Mass Communication at the institution’s School of Communication and earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc First Class) in Mass Communication, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he earned Master of Science (M.Sc) wiith Distinction, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mass Communication . His PhD was on film studies as his thesis examined the ‘Structure of Film Production Companies in Nollywood’.

A trained and seasoned theatre, film, broadcast, public relations and culture expert, he is reputed as one of the most consistent documentarists of Nigeria’s vibrant film and movie industry Nollywood and he is an astute commentator on arts, theatre and film development in Nigeria and the continent of Africa.

In 2014, he was honoured for his contributions to the development of Nigerian film industry by Nollywood Film Festival in Germany.

He has been the chairman of the College of Screeners and a member of Jury Board of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for many years.

An alumnus of the United States International Visitors Leadership Programme and the AIG-Public Leaders Programme of the Blavtanik School of Governance of the University of Oxford; Dr Shaibu was one time Secretary of the Governing Board of the National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria (from 2011 to 2015). He was appointed Director of Dance and Music and Head of the Strategic Communication Unit of the National Troupe of Nigeria.

Dr Shaibu has been the Chair, for 16 years running, of the Selection Committee of Africa’s premier film award – the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and a member of the prestigious AMAA jury.

He has attended several conferences, workshops and festivals and has sat and currently sits on a number of local and international Committees on film, theatre and allied matters including serving on the Board and on the jury of a number of Festivals, Awards and Committees including the Board of the Mainframe Film Institute run by the legendary Tunde Kelani, the board of In-short International Film Festival and on the Board of the Bank of Industry (BOI) Nollywood Fund.

Author of ‘Moviedom: The Nollywood Narratives’, Dr Shaibu is a Senior Teaching and Research Fellow at the Mass Communication Department of the University of Lagos and he was a former member of the Nigeria Official Selection Committee charged with the responsibility of deciding Nigeria’s entry for the Best International Film category of the Oscars.

He is currently a voting member of International Golden Globes Award and a consultant to the Berlin International Film Festival. He has served and still serves as a resource person, trainer in the field of theatre, culture and mass communication.

The new NFVCB DG was a pioneer artiste of the National Troupe of Nigeria; he has considerable theoretical, practical and field experience in the area of theatre, cultural administration as well as in public relations, advertising, journalism, broadcasting and film.

He considers himself an enthusiastic, dedicated, detailed and capable theory cum practically oriented professional who is able to improve the ability of an organisation to deliver outcomes that matter.