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3rd September, 2012
PRESS RELEASE
Lagos

Shortlist of 10 for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2012.

The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature led by Professor Emeritus Ayo Banjo has announced an initial shortlist of 10 books in the running for the 2012 literature prize.

The list was presented by the Chairman, panel of judges for this year's prize, Prof. Francis Abiola Irele. Prof Irele, Provost of the College of Humanities at the Kwara State University and Fellow of the Dubois Institute, Harvard University, said it took months of intensive scrutiny by the panel to produce the shortlist.

The initial shortlist, drawn from 214 entries from Nigerians at home and abroad, the largest number received since the prize was inaugurated in 2004, includes known and new writers.

The list, in alphabetical order of the authors' surnames, is as follows:

1. Ngozi Achebe Onaedo: The Blacksmith's Daughter
2. Ifeanyi Ajaegbo Sarah House
3. Jude Dibia Blackbird
4. Vincent Egbuson Zhero
5. Adaobi Tricia Nwuban I Do Not Come to You by Chance
6. Onuora Nzekwu Troubled Dust
7. Olusola Olugbesan Only a Canvas
8. Lola Shoneyin The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
9. E E Sule Sterile Sky
10. Chika Unigwe On Black Sister's Street

The Advisory Board announced that the final shortlist will be released soon.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children's literature. The 2012 prize is for Prose fiction and comes with a cash prize of $100,000.

Members of the Panel of Judges
Prof Francis Abiola Irele
Prof JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada
Prof Angela Miri
Prof Sophia Ogwude
Prof Oyeniyi Okunoye

Advisory Board
Prof Ayo Banjo
Dr Jerry Agada
Prof Ben Elugbe