70 Entries Longlisted for Writers Space Africa Awards 2022

The 2022 African Writers Awards is scheduled to take place in Cameroon later in the year.

We are pleased to announce the longlist for the following awards:

• 2022 African Writers Awards (AWA)
• Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
• African Teen Writers Awards

We received hundreds of entries this year, and although each entry offered us a unique perspective, we had to arrive at a longlist painfully. All entries were judged anonymously. We would like to thank the panel of judges; Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Gankhanani Moffat Moyo (Zambia), Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Nabilah Usman (Nigeria), Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Tamunomieibi Enoch (Nigeria), Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho) and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).

Here is the longlist in alphabetical order:

African Writers Awards

Creative Nonfiction

1. Becoming a Lazy Nigerian Youth by Oluwabukola Olabode (Nigeria)
2. Cape of Cubs by Trevor Abekah (Kenya)
3. Hills in the Background by George Paul (Tanzania)
4. Hope by Joy Jonathan (Nigeria)
5. Let my People Go by Britney Muoghalu (Nigeria)
6. Number 27 by Kendi Karimi (Kenya)
7. Piece of Mwihoko by Isaac Kilibwa (Kenya)
8. Spero Spera by Praise Ebirim (Nigeria)
9. Swagger by NmaHassan Muhammad (Nigeria)
10. The Watch by Esther Diepiriye (Nigeria)
11. This Town by Ezimadu Ugorji (Nigeria)
12. Thunder makes us Cry by Shalom Kasim (Nigeria)
13. Tsulisime by Deborah Usidamen (Nigeria)
14. Wahala, Like Bicycle by Isaacoed Buchi Jamie (Nigeria)
15. With the Eyes of the Soul by Marta Santos (Angola)

Drama

1. Dusk To Dawn by Gloria Akayi Asoloko (Nigeria)
2. Fallen Empire by Dave Chukwuji (Nigeria)
3. Hello Lord! by Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho)
4. Homecoming by Chetachi Igbokwe (Nigeria)
5. Hope by Ogwuma Aduma (Nigeria)
6. One Jungle, Multiple Shadows by Oluwatosin Tume (Nigeria)
7. Square One by Stephanie Abughdyer (Nigeria)
8. The Car Wreck by Jerina Sibanda (Zimbabwe)
9. The Cataclysm Of July Thirteen by Temitayo Adekola (Nigeria)
10. The Women’s War by Tekena Mark (Nigeria)

Poetry

1. Breathe by Pepita Mwanga (Tanzania)
2. Delayed Dawn by Rigwell Addison Asiedu (Ghana)
3. Hope for the hopeless by Issa Haruna (Nigeria)
4. It’s not ours by Overcomer Ibiteye (Nigeria)
5. Mettle by Omotoyimbo Damilola (Nigeria)
6. Nigeria Flickering Hope by victor Unwuchola
7. Of what we said by Akal Mohan (Kenya)
8. Sunrises by Simbizo Faith (Tanzania)
9. The Crest of Sanguine by Elias Denen Dodo (Nigeria)
10. The slums of Mbayani by Temwani Mgunda (Malawi)
11. The victor’s Psalm by Edmund Elume Nanne (Cameroon)
12. To etch light on a soul by Joshua Effiong (Nigeria)
13. Today’s is not yesterday’s twin by Richard Mbuthia (Kenya)
14. Waiting by Isabel Nowemigisha (Uganda)
15. Weaved by Living Matters by Sia Morweng (South Africa)

Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature

1. Beans Can’t be vegetables by Ogbu Eme (Nigeria)
2. Bird’s Melody by Zola Dirwani (Zimbabwe)
3. Grandma’s Needlework by Joshua Robertson (Ghana)
4. Hamood’s Wish Tree by NmaHassan Muhammad (Nigeria)
5. Kedol by Immaculate Halla (Tanzania)
6. Siki and the Bicycle by Blessing Amatemeso (Nigeria)
7. Something Good Will Happen by Olubunmi Familoni (Nigeria)
8. The Masterpiece by Ogieriakhi Joseph Osariemen (Nigeria)
9. Tonie and Big Brown Hen by Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda)
10. We can learn many things by Bardi Osobuanomola Catherine (Nigeria)

African Teen Writers Awards

Short Stories

1. Beautiful Zawadi by Destine Barasa (Kenya)
2. Gone are Souls by Muhammad Al-ameen Yusha’u (Nigeria)
3. Happiness by Ronetta Ingabire Gasana (Rwanda)
4. Mr Bean by Kosiso Chikezie (Nigeria)
5. My Adventure by Ngu Cindy Azah (Cameroon)
6. My Juicy Life by Testimony Odey (Nigeria)
7. My Luxury by Toluwanimi Oladapo (Nigeria)
8. The Boy with his Eyes by Kanyamanza Esther (Rwanda)
9. The House that Holds Her People by Abubakar Ndakotsu (Nigeria)
10. Wardolls by Adaugo Madubuike (Nigeria)

Poetry

1. A Flower that Blooms by David Halla (Tanzania)
2. At the Age of 10 by Ilakiza Jackson (Tanzania)
3. First Day of my Online Class by Fa’iza Yahaya (Nigeria)
4. I promise not to go Astray by Kaaria Mugambi (Kenya)
5. In Shaa Allah by Fadairo Nabeelah (Nigeria)
6. It gets Lonely by Nifemi Emmanuel (Nigeria)
7. Mother Africa by Emmanuella Abbey (Nigeria)
8. The Fall of the Planets by Doreen Ngemera (Tanzania)
9. The River’s Ordeals by Fadairo Tesleem (Nigeria)
10. Wings by Priscilla Arthur (Ghana)

The shortlist will be released on the 1st of October, 2022.

Anthony Onugba,
Chief Judge