…NLNG expands assist to inventive arts
By Prisca Sam-Duru
The Nigerian literary scene celebrated its latest Laurette as Olugbile’s ‘Sanya’ was named the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature (NPL) 2025, securing the NLNG-sponsored coveted $100,000 award.
The announcement was the spotlight of the NLNG Grand Award Evening, a blinding ceremony held on the Eko Inns, Lagos.
In a serious growth for the inventive trade, the sponsors, NLNG, additionally unveiled a brand new Artistic Arts Prize class, signalling a major enlargement of their dedication to Nigeria’s inventive sector.
This yr’s annual celebration of The Nigeria Prizes, themed “Encourage,” kicked off with a chic show. Visitors, adhering to the basic white gown code, have been greeted by a vibrant inexperienced carpet and décor that paid homage to Nigeria’s nationwide colors. Interactive parts, together with an “inspiration tree” and a “Smile Sales space,” engaged attendees earlier than they have been ushered into the area the place they loved cocktails with assorted finger meals and afterwards, into the stunningly embellished most important corridor.
The ceremony, held on Friday, October 10, 2025, was a mix of beautiful tradition and leisure. The grand entrance of King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, the Perekule XI Pure Ruler of Historical Grand Bonny Kingdom, was, as common, a memorable spectacle, full with a conventional masquerade escort from Bayelsa State.
Leisure all through the evening featured a mixture of comedy, basic tunes, and a strong fusion of up to date music and conventional Niger Delta dance. The mix was improbable!
The inspirational night additionally noticed the celebration of the winner for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism. Moreover, the occasion featured the disclosing of “Voices of Our Leaders,” a commemorative e-book on NLNG’s three many years of historical past and progress, which was introduced by the Honourable Minister of State (Fuel), Petroleum Sources, Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo.
He additionally learn the foreword of the e-book.
Because the night wore on, the Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, introduced Okwudiri Anasiudu’s work because the successful entry for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism. Anasiudu received for his submissions titled Afropolitan Id and Afrodiasporic Otherness in Chosen African Novels; Allegorical Conjectures in Helon Habila’s Measuring Time; and Mimetic designs in Helon Habila’s Oil on Water. Anasiudu acquired $10,000 prize cash for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism.
Subsequent was the announcement of the NPL winner- a prize sponsored by the NLNG to advertise and reward excellence in writing. To do this, Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo, supported by different members of the Board-
Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima, introduced Oyin Olugbile’s debut novel because the winner of the 2025 version of The Nigeria Prize for Literature. Olugbile emerged winner by beating 252 novels submitted for this yr’s competitors, and clinched certainly one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honour valued at $100,000.
In keeping with Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo, Olugbile’s mythology retelling method was distinct and daring for casting Sango as a feminine and for the projection of Yoruba mythology by means of a narrative that captivates and meanders right into a fantastical world. She acknowledged that Olugbile achieved this by means of lucid and simple language, making for simple studying.
“We have been impressed by the standard of the shortlisted books written by three writers with numerous backgrounds and experiences. The books, Sanya by Oyin Olugbile; The Street to the Nation by Chigozie Obioma, each revealed by Masobe Books; and This Motherless Land by Nikki Might, revealed by Narrative Panorama, point out an enchancment within the high quality of native publishing.
“After a lot cautious assessments and deliberations, we concluded that little or no separates the novels, and every is a possible winner of the award. Nonetheless, Oyin Olugbile’s Sanya barely takes the sting and is due to this fact our choose because the winner of the 2025 The Nigeria Prize for Literature,” she acknowledged.
Olugbile’s accomplishment towards internationally acclaimed authors is a plus for debut authors in African literature. The feat additionally positions her amongst earlier feminine writers- Kaine Agary (Yellow Yellow, 2004), Mabel Segun (Reader’s Theatre, 2007), Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (My Cousin Sammy, 2007), Chika Unigwe (On Black Sisters’ Road, 2012), and Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia (Son of the Home, 2021).
In her acceptance speech, Olugbile who holds a B.A (Hons) in Artistic Arts from the College of Lagos, and some Publish-graduate Certificates from the Lagos Enterprise College, Harvard Enterprise College On-line, the College of Politics, Coverage and Governance (SPPG) and a MSc from King’s School London, mentioned, “This story is not only mine; it belongs to each African who has needed to piece themselves collectively throughout borders, throughout generations, throughout silences.
“This prize declares that our tales aren’t footnotes; they’re the primary textual content. It affirms that we’re now not ready to be found; we’ve arrived.”
She additionally thanked the NLNG, “for recognising that African literature isn’t charity; it’s legacy.”
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, established in 2004 by NLNG, rotates yearly amongst 4 genres particularly prose fiction, poetry, drama, and youngsters’s literature. The 2025 version centered on prose fiction.
In his opening remarks, Managing Director and Chief Government Officer of NLNG, Philip Mshelbila highlighted the enduring affect of literature, describing The Nigeria Prize for Literature as “a reminder of the facility of phrases to form id and deepen understanding. Profitable the Prize is recognition of scaling the very best heights of literature. All of the shortlisted books this night are works of the very best calibre,” he mentioned.
He additionally revealed that The Nigeria Prize for Science will probably be renamed “The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.” He mentioned the brand new title displays NLNG’s perception that progress relies upon as a lot on creativity and contemporary pondering as on know-how and infrastructure.
Mshelbila who famous that “Voices of Our Leaders” captures the voices of a few of those that have guided NLNG’s journey from dream to actuality, additional introduced that NLNG could be resting The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism and introducing a brand new Prize class “The Nigeria Prize for Artistic Arts,” with concentrate on Documentary Movie. He careworn that the brand new prize would encourage a brand new technology of storytellers to tell, problem, and join Nigerians extra deeply to the current in addition to the long run.
In his Keynote speech, the Honourable Minister of Training, Dr Tunji Alausa, remarked that whereas there was a lot to have a good time, it was equally vital to pause and replicate, noting that The Nigeria Prize for Science, with its theme “Improvements in ICT, Synthetic Intelligence (AI), and Digital Applied sciences for Improvement,” had not produced a successful work in 2025. He mentioned it was a reminder that with out innovation, Nigeria can’t hope to compete in a digital future.
Dr Alausa emphasised that Nigeria should deepen its funding in science, notably in synthetic intelligence and digital applied sciences, which he described as key to addressing most of the nation’s developmental challenges.
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