Prof Remi Raji makes NLNG Prize for Literature’s Longlist

By Ogunrinu Olanshile

Former dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Professor at the Department of English, Prof. Remi Raji has been longlisted for the NLNG prize for literature for his most recent poetry collection, Wanderer Cantos.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas to promote and reward excellence in writing, rotates yearly amongst four literary categories of prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.

The prize, which is the richest in Africa at $100,000 cash prize, initially had 287 poets jostling for it.

At the online announcement on Friday, 8th of July via official Facebook page of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, the entries received were handed over to the panel of judges by the Chair of Prize’s Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo.

Adimora-Ezeigbo noted that the process would continue as “a shortlist of three is expected in September and hopefully, a winner in October.”

Prof Remi Raji’s book, Wanderer Cantos engages a medley of public and personal issues, experiments with diverse forms as an indigenous language.

Others on the list are, ‘Augusta’s Poodle’ by Ogaga Ifowodo; ‘Coming Undone As Stiches Tighten’ by Iquo DianaAbasi; ‘Dispossesed’ by James Eze Ife; ‘Testament’ by Olusegun Adekoya; Memory and the Call of Waters’ by Su’eddie Agem; ‘Nomad’ by Romeo Oriogun; ‘The Lilt of the Rebel’ by Obari Gomba; The Love Canticles’ by Chijioke Amu Nnadi; Yawns and Belches’ by Joe Ushie; Your Crib, My Qibla’ by Saddiq Dzukogi.

The winner of the 2021 edition is Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia, a professor of law at Babcock University. She won the prize with her novel, Son of the House.