Professor Sam Ukala has won this year’s edition of the Nigeria Prize for Literature with his play, Iredi War. He was shortlisted alongside Friday John Abba and Jude Idada, and walks away with the $100,000 prize money endowed by the Nigeria LNG Ltd.
Chair of the Advisory Board of the prize, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, announced Ukala’s name at a world press conference at the Africa & Asia Meeting Room, Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos earlier today.
Banjo said: “Iredi War addresses the socio-political history of the Owa Kingdom and the imperialistic tendencies of the colonialists at the beginning of the 20th Century”.
Also awarded for the first time ever was the prize for literary criticism instituted in 2012. The award went to Isidore Diala for authoring the most outstanding piece of literary criticism in the last four years. His article titled: “Colonial Mimicry and Post-Colonial Re-membering in Isidore Okpewho’s Call Me by my Rightful name” published in the Journal of Modern Literature Vol.36. No. 4.
Among those present at the press conference were: The other members of the Advisory Board, Professors Jerry Agada and Ben Elugbe. Also there were the panel of judges, the chair, Professor Charity Angya; Professor Akanji Nasiru and Professor Ahmed Yerima (a former winner).
Ukala is a playwright, theatre director, film producer, academic and former chairman, Delta State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). His other published plays include The Slave Wife, The Log in Your Eye, Akpakaland and Break a Boil.