Glo offers N4.5m prize for literary competition

Globacom is offering N4.5million for an annual literary competition for undergraduate students of Nigerian universities.
The award is for works in the three broad genres of literature, Prose, Drama and Poetry, with the winner in each category going home with N1.5milliom.
It is open to students of public and private universities.
Globacom disclosed this during the launch of the “Glo Literature Prize for Undergraduate Students” at an “Evening with Wole Soyinka and Nigeria’s Outstanding Literary Stars” organised in Lagos on Friday to pay tribute to Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, and three other writers, E.C. Osondu, Seffi Atta and Tope Folarin.
Gloworld Coordinator, Ebenezer Kolawole, who announced the Prize on behalf of the Board and Management of the company, said it was meant to encourage literary studies and engender creativity and keen competition in the subject in universities.
He said that Globacom has selected a panel of renowned scholars who have distinguished themselves locally and internationally as judges of the Prize to ensure a credible selection and award process.
They are Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor (Mrs.) Akachi Ezeigbo of the University of Lagos, Professor Umar Buratai, Dean, Faculty of the Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Olu Obafemi of the University of Ilorin and Dr. Promise Ogochukwu, who is the secretary of the panel.
“The Glo Literature Prize for Undergraduate Students is part of our holistic appreciation of the importance of literature in the society. Literature is the mirror of the society we live in, and plays a vital role in communicating and preserving our culture, traditions and attitudes.
“We are of the firm belief that the prize will provide added impetus to the education establishment and to Nigerian students, particularly in the field of literature and the creative industry,” Kolawole stated.
Globacom said the event was organised to celebrate Soyinka and the three literary stars for their immense contributions to the study of literature and for putting Nigeria on the world literary map.
The company’s Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., in a goodwill message at the event, described Soyinka as a rare patriot and intellectual deity who has made Africa and the black race proud.
“Prof Soyinka has not only remained steadfast in his pursuit of social justice and good governance, but has all his adult life been one of the icons of Nigeria’s moral fabric. He is a sedulous writer and raconteur par excellence whose works have for decades remained study materials the world over and will be for generations to come,” Adenuga noted.
He also stated that Osondu, Atta and Folarin were great ambassadors of Nigeria who had contributed greatly in projecting the image of Africa in the world literary scene.
The event was graced by literary giants and eminent personalities including Prof. J.P. Clark, General Alani Akinrinade, Prof Ebun Clark, Mrs Bella Disu, Prof Duro Oni, Prof Olu Obafemi, Prof (Mrs.) Akachi Ezeigbo, Prof Umar Buratai and Dr. Promise Ogochukwu.
Others were Dr. (Mrs) Bisi Fayemi, Mr. Odia Ofeimum, Mrs Francesca Emmanuel, Mr Sam Amuka, Mr. Kunle Ajibade, Mr. Tunde Kelani, Chief Dele Momodu, Stephanie Henshaw, students of Nigerian tertiary institutions, diplomats from the Brazilian and American embassies, captains of industries and members of the Nigerian and Ghanaian literary communities.