Belgium-based writer wins $100,000 prize

Belgium-based Nigerian writer Chika Unigwe was yesterday awarded the Nigeria Prize for Literature, reports The Punch. Her novel, On Black Sister’s Street, beat the two others shortlisted for the prize, which was established in 2004 by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company. The runners-up were Only a Canvas by Olusola Olugbesan and Onaedo: The Blacksmith’s Daughter by Ngozi Achebe, whose uncle is writer Chinua Achebe. Unigwe, who won the BBC Short Story Competition in 2004, is now $100,000 richer and follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Adeleke Adeyemi. The chairman of the prize’s board, Ayo Banjo, announced the result at a press conference in Lagos. Unigwe said, “I am humbled by this win. I have read some of the writers on the longlist of 10 and admired their works, and so to come this far with my book is incredibly humbling. I am honoured as well. For a writer who constantly doubts her abilities, this is validation for me that maybe I am doing something right. To win with this book, a book that taught me a lot about myself, is gratifying.”