The prestigious AKO Caine Prize for African Writing has announced its 2022 shortlist featuring three of the five shortlisted stories published by Cassava Republic Press in the UK and Commonwealth countries.
According to Okey Ndibe, “The 2022 entries represented a staggering feast. It was a testament to the vibrancy, variety and splendour of creative talent among writers of African descent.”
The shortlisted writers are:
Joshua Chizoma (Nigeria) for Collector of Memories,
Nana-Ama Danquah (Ghana) for When a Man Loves a Woman
Hannah Giorgis (Ethiopia) for A Double-Edged Inheritance
Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) for Five Years Next Sunday
Billie McTernan (Ghana) for The Labadi Sunshine Bar
The three Cassava Republic Press authors are Nana-Ama Danquah, Hannah Giorgis and Billie McTernan, who contributed to the publisher’s anthologies, Accra Noir edited by Nana-Ama Danquah and Addis Ababa Noir edited by Maaza Mengiste, both part of our Noir series!
“In true Noir style,” Cassava Republic Press says in a statement, “their entries take readers deep into the seedy underbellies of Accra and Addis Ababa, peeling back layers to reveal the lives of its residents. Think mystery, criminal acts, justice, and survival…”
But it doesn’t end there, while congratulating all the shortlisted writers, the publisher announces that it is thrilled to be publishing the latest AKO Caine Prize anthology, which compiles all the shortlisted stories from the last two years. “Fans of the AKO Caine Prize (and exceptional storytelling in general!) keep your eyes peeled for the release of ‘A Mind to Silence and other Stories’ – coming soon from Cassava Republic Press this summer!”