Shortlist – 2020 African Writers Awards (AWA) and the Wakini Kuria Award

On behalf of Writers Space Africa (WSA), Writers Space Africa – Zambia (WSA-Zm), and the African Writers Development Trust (AWDT), I present to you the shortlist for both the 2020 African Writers Awards (AWA) and the Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature. The winners will be announced on the 3rd and final day of the African Writers Conference on the 7th of November, 2020 in Lusaka, Zambia. This will be streamed live on our social media handles for those unable to physically attend.

Once again, special thanks to the panel of judges; Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Henry Joe Sakala (Zambia), Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Benny Wanjohi (Kenya), and Namse Udosen (Nigeria) for the brilliant work.

The shortlist is in no particular order.

Creative Non-Fiction (1st place – $100)
1. Each Little Win – Oladejo Oluyemisi – Nigeria
2. No Role Models – Angoma-Mzini Thulani – South Africa
3. Requiem for Africa’s Creatively Inept – Mpofu Nathaniel – Zimbabwe
4. The Intelligent Thief – Nwabueze Vincent – Nigeria
5. The Task of an African Narrator – Okombo Dismas – Kenya

Drama (1st place – $100)
1. Jare – Lawrence Abasiama – Nigeria
2. Lost Destiny – Ukaorji Ogbonna – Nigeria
3. True Spots – Ojoro Irene Melissa – Kenya
4. Who Knows Amanda? – Asoloko Gloria Akayi – Nigeria
5. Odessey of The Kankafo – Adinoyi Abdulbasit – Nigeria

Poetry (1st place – $100)
1. African Beauty (Haiku) – Musyoka Susan – Kenya
2. Her Hair, Her Braids (Blank Verse) – Semir-Nyuiy Terry Kimah – Cameroon
3. Ode to The Blackbird (Haiku) – Duru Nneka Joyce – Nigeria
4. Old and Gold (Pantoum) – Gaygay James – Liberia
5. Who I Am (Pantoum) – Ogedengbe Tolulope Impact – Nigeria

Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature (1st place – $100, 2nd place – $75, and 3rd place – $50)
1. Hessy and The Lost Tooth – Halieo Motanyane – Lesotho –
2. Scared Little Boy – Madeha Ezekial Malecela – Tanzania –
3. Sophie What Do You Say? Blessing Aliyu Tarfa – Nigeria –
4. The Magic Book – Oketunde Judith Oluwatomi – Nigeria –
5. The Two Sisters – Leonard Maero W. – Kenya –

Best wishes to the shortlisted writers.

Anthony Onugba
Chief Judge,
2020 African Writers Awards

Click here to register to either attend or receive information about the 2020 African Writers Conference
Click to view the longlist of the 2020 African Writers Awards (AWA) and the Wakini Kuria Award