The Caine Prize for African Writing marks 25 years of honouring excellent African writers who go on to make a profound impression on the literary world.
Since its inception in 2000, the Prize has recognised (through its shortlist, winners, annual award and £10,000 prize purse) over 120 gifted authors.
In honour of this milestone yr, the Prize shall be changing its conventional annual prize cycle with the Better of Caine Award, whereby three judges will determine on the perfect quick story to have gained the Caine Prize for African Writing in its 25 years (2000 – 2024). The earlier winners whose tales will characteristic on this particular anniversary contest are:
- Leila Aboulela (Sudan) for The Museum
- Helon Habila (Nigeria) for Love Poems
- Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya) for Discovering Dwelling
- Yvonne Owuor (Kenya) for Weight of Whispers
- Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe) for Seventh Avenue Alchemy
- Segun Afolabi (Nigeria) for Monday Morning
- Mary Watson (South Africa) for Jungfrau
- Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda) for Jambula Tree
- Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) for Poison
- EC Osondu (Nigeria) for Ready
- Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone) for Stickfighting Days
- NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) for Hitting Budapest
- Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria) for Bombay’s Republic
- Tope Folarin (Nigeria) for Miracle
- Okwiri Oduor (Kenya) for My Father’s Head
- Namwali Serpell (Zambia) for The Sack
- Lidudumalingani (South Africa) for Recollections We Misplaced
- Bushra al-Fadil (Sudan) for The Story of the Lady whose Birds Flew Away
- Makena Onjerika (Kenya) for Fanta Blackcurrant
- Lesley Nneka Arimah (Nigeria) for Skinned
- Irenosen Okojie (Nigeria) for Grace Jones
- Meron Hadero (Ethiopia) for The Avenue Sweep
- Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) for 5 Years Subsequent Sunday
- Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo (Senegal) for A Soul of Small Locations
- Nadia Davids (South Africa) for Bridling
The Caine Prize for African Writing is awarded for a brief story by an African author printed in English (indicative size 3,000 to 10,000 phrases). The Caine Prize for African Writing is known as after the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc and Chairman of the Booker Prize administration committee for practically 25 years. The African winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Wole Soyinka and J M Coetzee, are Patrons of The Caine Prize. Ellah Wakatama OBE is the Chair.
An African author is taken to imply somebody who was born in Africa, or who’s a nationwide of an African nation, or who has a mother or father who’s African by beginning or nationality. Works translated into English from different languages are usually not excluded, offered they’ve been printed in translation, and will such a piece win, a proportion of the prize could be awarded to the translator.
As a part of the twenty fifth anniversary celebrations, the Prize may also collaborate with a variety of companions to ship on-line and in-person occasions throughout the continent and diaspora, spotlighting its distinguished alumni and their continued contribution to the literary canon.
Full particulars shall be introduced at a later date.