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Henry Akubuiro
Chinenye Raphaella Opara has won the 1st position of the inaugural edition of the Simple and Straight Flash Fiction Competition, while Thomas Joan Anuoluwapo and Betty Onyeka Callistus won the 2nd and 3rd position respectively. The respective winners will receive their prize money on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
The competition is the brainchild of three Nigerians literati – Dr Lizi Ben-Iheanacho, Amb Ifeoma Akabogu-Chinwuba, mni, and CP Emmanuel Ojukwu. In a bid to keep story-telling alive and contribute their quota to the Nigerian literary scene, they joined hands to launch the Keep It Short and Straight competition, an aspect of the Flash Fiction genre, which tells a full-fledged story in no more than fifty words.
The trio collectively sponsored and administered the first edition by inviting entries on the theme of Love. 108 entries were received by Wednesday 24th June. 72 were prequalified after weeding out those that did not meet various criteria, which were forwarded to the judges for adjudication.
Organisers said, “Submissions were received from enthusiasts across all walks of life, including two secondary school students, a housewife, lawyers, NGO administrators, teachers, health workers, some celebrity writers, literary journalists and, of course, undergraduates of English/Literary/Communication Studies.” 49 females and 47 males were identified in the entries while six were not stated.
The next edition is scheduled for September 2026.
