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The organisers of the “Best Okereke Prize For Short Fiction” contest have called for submissions from interested Nigerian writers.
The organisers have specified that entries are welcome only from Nigerian writers aged between 18 and 26 at the time of entry. The submission period is open from October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
The organisers have outlined the modalities and eligibility criteria for the prize. They state that the writer must be a resident of Nigeria and the submitted short story must not have been previously published on any platform, digital or hardcopy.
Submissions, they note, will only be accepted via email with each writer allowed to submit only one short story for the prize. The works must be fictional and between 2,500 to 5,000 words long. The email must include a cover note specifying the author’s name, date of birth, email address and telephone number. The story should be formatted in Times New Roman with a font size of 12, double-spaced, and submitted as a Word Document.
No form of identification should appear on the submitted Word document. Any identifying information on the document will result in automatic disqualification. The winner of the prize in its inaugural year will receive a cash reward of #200,000, while two honorable mentions selected from a shortlist of five will receive #50,000 each. Entries that promote misogyny, homophobia, ableism or any other forms of hate speech will not be considered. The prize reserves the right to edit and publish the winning stories on its website or in an annual anthology, the award team stated.
They added that a longlist of ten stories will be released in February 2024, followed by a shortlist of five stories in March 2024, and the winner announcement later that same month.
The Best Okereke Prize For Short Fiction was founded by Best Okereke Nnadozie, a seasoned businessman and serial entrepreneur from Imo State, Nigeria. In addition to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Best is widely recognized for his philanthropic initiatives, including an annual essay competition for undergraduate Law students at his alma mater.
As an avid reader and lover of literature, Okereke Best was a participant of the esteemed Farafina Trust Creative Writers’ Workshop, facilitated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in 2012.
On the mission of the prize, the award team quotes, Ben Marcus, saying, “A short story works to remind us that if we are not sometimes baffled and amazed and undone by the world around us, rendered speechless and stunned, perhaps we are not paying close enough attention.” This sentiment underscores the importance of the prize and why the prize is dedicated to promoting literature and the love of writing.
The prize asserts on its official website thus:“Storytelling is a pivotal activity for humans and for humanity. The power of storytelling cannot be undermined, as a good story has the power to delight, to question, to instruct, to mirror, to console us. The right story found at the right moment feels like a friend, a companion, maybe even a therapist. And in the wake of a discourse about the alleged death of Nigerian literature, it is pertinent to reiterate, as you already know, that Nigerian writers of this generation are dominating spaces— from literary fiction to poetry to science fiction to screenwriting. Therefore it is in the face of this truth that the Best Okereke Prize for short fiction was founded. We hope to inspire and encourage young, aspiring Nigerian writers of fiction that there is room for blossoming; a way to say— we see you, so keep writing,”
