General
9 Authors Make Etisalat Prize for Literature 2016 Longlist
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Chair of the judging panel of the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature, Helon Habila, has announced the 2016 longlist of nine books.
The longlist is made up of entries from first-time authors whose books were published in the past 24 months.
The longlisted books are Mr and Mrs Doctor by Julie Iromuanya (Coffee House Press, USA), The Yearning by Mohale Mashigo (PanMacmillan, South Africa), Piggy Boy’s Blues by Nakhane Toure (Blackbird Books imprint of Jacana Media, SA), The Peculiars by Jen Thorpe (Penguin Random House, USA) and Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John (Cassava Republic, Nigeria).
Others are And After Many Days by Jowhor Ile (Farafina an imprint of Kachifo Limited, Nigeria), Dub Steps by Andrew Miller (Jacana Media, South Africa), The Seed Thief by Jacqui L’Ange (Umuzi Publishers, South Africa) and Nwezelenga: The Star Child by Unathi Magubeni (Black Bird Books Imprint of Jacana Media, South Africa).
Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, endorsed the judges’ carefully moderated selection process, saying, “The novels in this year’s longlist represent a good number of African publishing companies. Each novel reflects a very interesting and dynamic perspective that will provoke intense conversations about different personal and societal issues.”
The judging panel, comprising Nigerian novelist and poet, Helon Habila (Chair), South African writer/activist Elinor Sisulu and Ivorian writer and Africa39 laureate Edwige Rene Dro, now has the task of selecting three authors for the shortlist, which will be unveiled in December.
The winner of the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature will be announced in March 2017 and will receive £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, and an Etisalat-sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia to be mentored by renowned Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland.
Nigerian-born Helon Habila is an award-winning author and an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at George Mason University, USA. His novels include Waiting for an Angel (2002), Measuring Time (2007), and Oil on Water (2010). His current book is a work of nonfiction, The Chibok Girls. His novels, poems, and short stories have won many honours, including the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Novel (Africa Section), the Caine Prize, The Library of Virginia Annual Literary Award for fiction and most recently the Windham-Campbell Prize. Habila has been a contributing editor for the Virginia Quarterly Review since 2004, and is a regular reviewer for the Guardian, UK.
Elinor Sisulu is a Zimbabwean-born South Africa writer and human rights activist. Elinor Sisulu combines training in history, English literature, development studies and feminist theory from institutions in Zimbabwe, Senegal and the Netherlands.
She is the author of the award-winning children’s book The Day Gogo Went to Vote. Her biography on her parents-in-law, Walter and Albertina Sisulu: In Our Lifetime secured her the prestigious 2003 Noma Award for publishing in Africa.
Elinor’s involvement in book promotion and literary development efforts for many years has culminated in her work with the Puku Children’s Literature Foundation. She has been a judge for the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, the Sanlam Youth Literature Prize and the Penguin Africa Writer’s Competition.
Edwige-Renée Dro is an Ivorian writer who is passionate about getting the Francophone voice into the mainstream. She translates for PEN International as well as Global Voices Online. She worked on the translation of Les Cités Fantastiques (The Fantastic Cities), a coffee-table book featuring poems and paintings by Werewere Liking. Edwige has her own blog at africanmusings.wordpress.com and runs a book reading group in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. She won the 2015 PEN International New Voices award and was shortlisted for the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship in 2014. She was also one of the featured writers in the Hay Festival’s prestigious initiative Africa39.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
