#TeamOkwiri
KES1.5 million (£10,000) is not a bad pay day for 8 pages of lyrical prose. Kenyan writer Okwiri Oduor was Monday named winner of the 2014 Caine Prize for African Writing at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Her short story “My Father’s Head” won her the prestigious award, previous winners include Nigeria’s Tope Folarin in 2013 and Zimbabwe’s NoViolet Bulawayo in 2011.
Shortlisted with Oduor was Kwani? Trust managing editor Billy Kahora for “The Gorilla’s Apprentice,” South Africa’s Diane Awerbuck for “Phosphorescence”, Efemia Chela from both Ghana and Zambia for “Chicken”, Zimbabwe’s Tendai Huchu for “The Intervention.” Each will take home £500 prize money.
Oduor has published with Kwani?, Amka, Saraba, FEMRITE, The New Inquiry and African Writing online. An artist from the ethnic style of her hair to her effortlessly flowing prose, she started her writing career in Storymoja and Amka events and directed the inaugural Writivism Literary Festival in Kampala, in August 2013.
Other than the financial perks, Oduor who is now working on her first novel, will be able to take up a month’s residence at Georgetown University in Washington DC, and will be invited to appear at the Open Book Festival in Cape Town in September, the Storymoja Hay Festival in Nairobi and the Ake Festival in Nigeria.
At home Kenyans are proud of her. She is an inspiration as a writer and serves as a reminder to this dilapitaed government of ours that yes you might be at war but there are beautiful people out there creating and earning a living from their literary creations. One day Kenyan writers will not need to go abroad to be recognised as ‘African’ writers of repute because they will be recognised here. Congratulations Okwiri Oduor.
Read a review of her winning short story “My Father’s Head” here.
Here are some tweets on the trending #Okwiri and #TeamOkwiri.
Little things trend local. Tremendous achievements go universal. #Okwiri!
@samirasawlani #Okwiri‘s Caine Prize, #Lupita‘s Academy Award, #Wangari‘s Nobel Prize- Kenyans not appreciated at home, coveted by the world
If writers were in pubs (possible) everyone else would think a goal has been scored (totally has). #Okwiri #CainePrize
Haiya? No one’s live tweeting the acceptance speech? #TeamOkwiri
Waiting for the Caine Prize announcement is not good for my blood pressure. Nerves. #TeamOkwiri #TeamKahora.
Here are the writers shortlisted for the prize. Have a read.
Diane Awerbuck (South Africa) “Phosphorescence” in Cabin Fever (Umuzi, Cape Town. 2011)
Read Phosphorescence
Efemia Chela (Ghana/Zambia) “Chicken” in Feast, Famine and Potluck (Short Story Day Africa, South Africa. 2013)
Read Chicken
Tendai Huchu (Zimbabwe) “The Intervention” in Open Road Review, issue 7, New Delhi. 2013
Read The Intervention
Billy Kahora (Kenya) “The Gorilla’s Apprentice” in Granta (London. 2010)
Read The Gorilla’s Apprentice
By Ondi Madete
