The African Writers Awards were conceived by the African Writers Development Trust to shed a light on some of the best emerging writing talents on the continent.
Some previous winners have been Manu Herbstein, Maryhilda Ibe, Chiamaka Onu-Okpara, and Benson Mugo in 2018; Eme Ogbu, Temani Nkalolang, Andrea B Matambo, and Priscillar Matara in 2019; Oladejo Oluyemisi, Asoloko Gloria Akayi, and Duru Nneka Joyce in 2020, and Adedoyin Adetutu, Gordon, B. Away, and Makhago Peter in 2021.
The awards this year are judged by Chief Judge Anthony Onugba alongside Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Gankhanani Moffat Moyo (Zambia), Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Nabilah Usman (Nigeria), Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Tamunomieibi Enoch (Nigeria), Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho) and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).
The longlist for the African Writers Awards 2022, African Teen Writers Awards 2022, and the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature 2022 announced on September 1 features;
Creative Nonfiction
Becoming a Lazy Nigerian Youth, Oluwabukola Olabode (Nigeria)
Cape of Cubs, Trevor Abekah (Kenya)
Hills in the Background, George Paul (Tanzania)
Hope, Joy Jonathan (Nigeria)
Let my People Go, Britney Muoghalu (Nigeria)
Number 27, Kendi Karimi (Kenya)
Piece of Mwihoko, Isaac Kilibwa (Kenya)
Spero Spera, Praise Ebirim (Nigeria)
Swagger, NmaHassan Muhammad (Nigeria)
The Watch, Esther Diepiriye (Nigeria)
This Town, Ezimadu Ugorji (Nigeria)
Thunder makes us Cry, Shalom Kasim (Nigeria)
Tsulisime, Deborah Usidamen (Nigeria)
Wahala, Like Bicycle, Isaacoed Buchi Jamie (Nigeria)
With the Eyes of the Soul, Marta Santos (Angola)
Drama
Fallen Empire, Dave Chukwuji (Nigeria)
Hello Lord!, Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho)
Homecoming, Chetachi Igbokwe (Nigeria)
Hope, Ogwuma Aduma (Nigeria)
One Jungle, Multiple Shadows, Oluwatosin Tume (Nigeria)
Square One, Stephanie Abughdyer (Nigeria)
The Car Wreck, Jerina Sibanda (Zimbabwe)
The Cataclysm Of July Thirteen, Temitayo Adekola (Nigeria)
Poetry
Breathe, Pepita Mwanga (Tanzania)
Delayed Dawn, Rigwell Addison Asiedu (Ghana)
Hope for the hopeless, Issa Haruna (Nigeria)
It’s not ours, Overcomer Ibiteye (Nigeria)
Mettle, Omotoyimbo Damilola (Nigeria)
Flickering Hope, Victor Unwuchola (Nigeria)
Of what we said, Akal Mohan (Kenya)
Sunrises, Simbizo Faith (Tanzania)
The Crest of Sanguine, Elias Denen Dodo (Nigeria)
The slums of Mbayani, Temwani Mgunda (Malawi)
The victor’s Psalm, Edmund Elume Nanne (Cameroon)
Weaved by Living Matters, Sia Morweng (South Africa)
Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
Beans Can’t be vegetables, Ogbu Eme (Nigeria)
Bird’s Melody, Zola Dirwani (Zimbabwe)
Grandma’s Needlework, Joshua Robertson (Ghana)
Hamood’s Wish Tree, NmaHassan Muhammad (Nigeria)
Siki and the Bicycle, Blessing Amatemeso (Nigeria)
Something Good Will Happen, Olubunmi Familoni (Nigeria)
The Masterpiece, Ogieriakhi Joseph Osariemen (Nigeria)
Tonie and Big Brown Hen, Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda)
We can learn many things, Bardi Osobuanomola Catherine (Nigeria)
Happiness, Ronetta Ingabire Gasana (Rwanda)
Mr Bean, Kosiso Chikezie (Nigeria)
My Adventure, Ngu Cindy Azah (Cameroon)
My Juicy Life, Testimony Odey (Nigeria)
My Luxury, Toluwanimi Oladapo (Nigeria)
The Boy with his Eyes, Kanyamanza Esther (Rwanda)
The House that Holds Her People, Abubakar Ndakotsu (Nigeria)
Wardolls, Adaugo Madubuike (Nigeria)
Children's Poetry
A Flower that Blooms, David Halla (Tanzania)
At the Age of 10, Ilakiza Jackson (Tanzania)
First Day of my Online Class, Fa’iza Yahaya (Nigeria)
I promise not to go Astray, Kaaria Mugambi (Kenya)
In Shaa Allah, Fadairo Nabeelah (Nigeria)
It gets Lonely, Nifemi Emmanuel (Nigeria)
Mother Africa, Emmanuella Abbey (Nigeria)
The Fall of the Planets, Doreen Ngemera (Tanzania)
The River’s Ordeals, Fadairo Tesleem (Nigeria) Wings by Priscilla Arthur (Ghana)
The shortlist will be released on October 1 before the winners are made public at the African Writers Conference in Cameroon.
