Ikeogu Oke wins NLNG’s $.1m literature prize

The Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Literature and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) yesterday announced Abuja-based poet, Ikeogu Oke, as winner of the 2017 edition of the contest after an intensive process. Consequently, he goes home with the $100,000.00 cash tag.

The board chairman, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, at a press conference in Lagos, said Oke’s collection of poems, The Heresiad, beat 183 others to the diadem.

He said: “Poetry competition for the prize is always very fierce and interesting. We could not have been more reassured about the process because the panel of judges did a painstakingly thorough job in selecting the best from the final shortlist of three entries.

The chairman of the panel of judges, Professor Ernest N. Emenyonu noted: “The seriousness with which the NLNG literary prize is received by the teeming population of writers in Nigeria is a sign that the expectations of writers swing beyond the prize itself to that of portraying their creativity. The prestige, associated with the prize, saw the 184 entries of collections of poetry in various sizes and of diverse themes and set the stage for the stiff competition.”

According to the General Manager, External Relations, Kudo Eresia-Eke, “we at NLNG are proud of this additional achievement. National and international interest in both the prize and process are increasing and this is good for the event and Nigeria”.