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By Damiete Braide
In a literary landscape teeming with cultural richness and evolving narratives, Oyin Olugbile has emerged as a bold voice, unafraid to reimagine myth and explore uncharted creative territories. Winning the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature, Africa’s most prestigious literary award, has thrust Olugbile into the limelight, not just as a storyteller, but as a torchbearer of indigenous narratives reborn through contemporary imagination. Her award-winning novel, Sanya, hailed for its lyrical brio and cinematic depth, is a daring re-envisioning of Yoruba mythology, where Oyo Empire folklore and the legacies of deities like Sango and Oya are delicately woven into a new, compelling tapestry.
For Olugbile, the journey to this monumental achievement was one of curiosity, resilience, and the resolve to give voice to stories that transcend time. Yet, the shock and joy she experienced upon hearing her name announced as the winner are only fragments of a larger revelation: that Nigerian stories, especially those rooted in myth and memory, are not just valid but vital on the global stage.
In this conversation, she opens up about the inspiration behind Sanya, her enduring influences, and the quiet revolutions she hopes her work will spark among young writers and generations yet unborn. More than winning a prize, the writer is charting a legacy. Her journey is proof that storytelling, at its most authentic, is both a weapon and a lifeline.
Congratulations on winning the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Can you take us back to the moment your name was announced and what went through your mind?
\Thank you. Honestly, it was a mix of surprise, disbelief, and then joy. I wasn’t expecting it. There were two other strong contenders on the shortlist, so when my name was called, the disbelief was real. Then, gradually, joy set in as I started coming to terms with the reality.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature is one of Africa’s most prestigious honours. How has winning it affected your view of your writing journey?
To be fair, it hasn’t changed my perspective on my writing journey itself. I have always known the kind of voice I want to project through my work. Winning the NPL hasn’t diverted my focus or altered my literary vision. What it has done is amplify my voice and opened up deeper conversations within me about how my perspective can be heard or read on a global scale.
What does this recognition mean to you personally and to Nigerian literature as a whole?
It means a great deal. On a personal level, it validates my creative journey and places me in a position where I can represent writers who work within similar storytelling spaces — be it myth, fantasy, or prose fiction. For Nigerian literature, it reinforces that our stories, especially those rooted in indigenous mythology and cultural history, are valuable and resonate on a global level.
Your winning work, Sanya, has been praised for its depth and originality. What inspired the story, and how did it evolve during the writing process?
Curiosity sparked Sanya. It stemmed from growing up with stories about Sango that didn’t quite add up for me. Rather than approach it from an academic angle, I leaned into creativity and asked myself, “What if there’s an alternate story? What if Sango’s narrative and the Oyo Empire took a different course?” From that point, the story evolved into a re-imagination of myth through a lens of creativity.
The title Sanya is both striking and symbolic. What’s its significance in relation to the novel’s theme?
The name Sanya means “to recompense” or “to redeem suffering” in Yoruba. It’s deeply tied to the character’s birth and her mother’s experience of multiple stillbirths and a prophecy of the child being a warrior. On another level, some readers caught on to the merging of “Sango” and “Oya” into Sanya. That’s deliberate too. It reflects themes of duality, lineage, and destiny, core ideas of the story.
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Your prose has been described as lyrical and cinematic. How do you approach language and rhythm in your storytelling?
Every writer has a unique rhythm and voice that flows naturally through their language. For me, rhythm comes from the way ideas sound in my head before they’re written. It’s not just about the Yoruba language or English; it’s about how the story’s pulse is communicated through words.
Are there any Nigerian or international authors who have influenced your style or worldview?
Absolutely. Writers like Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Elechi Amadi, Chinua Achebe, and Tomi Adeyemi have had a profound impact on my writing and my worldview. Their works continue to inspire me.
Beyond Sanya, what themes or genres are you looking to explore in the future?
I’m open to a lot, thrillers, romance, and children’s literature. But mythology and fantasy remain my strongest areas of interest. I’m also working on a children’s book series at the moment.
As an award-winning author, how do you inspire young writers?
I encourage them to dream, to read widely, and to stay committed to honing their craft. They should use their voices to inspire positive change.
What are your plans for the prize money?
It will go toward personal investment in my writing and future projects. I also want to support emerging writers. There’s a huge need to create pathways for others to succeed in Nigerian literature.
Past winners have sometimes faded from the spotlight after their victory. How do you plan to maintain your momentum?
I don’t believe many of them have fizzled out; some have gone into academia or continue to produce powerful work in other ways. Personally, I plan to stay very active. There’s so much more I want to write and explore.
Looking ahead, how do you want Sanya and your larger body of work to be remembered in African literary history?
I want Sanya to be remembered as a book that broke the mold, a story told differently. Not as a blueprint, but as an inspiration for others to reimagine myths and create boldly. I hope it remains relevant for generations to come.
