The Advisory Boards for the Nigeria Prize for Science, Literature and Literary Criticism, have announced the call for entries for the 2023 edition of the prizes, flagging off this year’s competitions.
According to a statement by Andy Odeh, general manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at Nigeria LNG Ltd. (NLNG) on Friday, the Nigeria Prizes for Science and Literature sponsored by the NLNG now in the 19th year, had a cash prize of $100,000 each.
The statement added that the Prize for Literary Criticism would be $10,000.
It said that the Science Prize, which recognises outstanding scientific achievements by Nigerians and non-Nigerians, would focus on innovation for enhancement of healthcare therapy this year.
The statement added that the Literature Prize, on the other hand, would focus on drama and honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian.
The Literature Prize rotates among four literary genres, namely prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.
“The Literary Criticism Prize, which also aims to promote Nigerian Literature, will receive entries on works in literary criticism of Literature, especially critical essays on new writings in Nigerian Literature.
“The call for entries for the Literature prize and Literary Criticism will close on March 31, 2023 while the window for the science prize will close on April 30, 2023,” it said.
According to the statement, Prof. Ameh Akoh of Drama and Critical Theory at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, will chair the panel of judges for this year’s Literature and the Literary Criticism competition.
It said that other panel members included Prof. Osita Ezenwanebe of Creative Arts at the University of Lagos and Dr Rasheedah Liman, from the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria.
According to the NLNG, the winners of the Nigeria Prize for Literature and Literary Criticism, if any, will be announced at an award ceremony in October 2023 to commemorate the anniversary of the first LNG export from the NLNG’s Plant on October 9, 1999. Also that the science prize winner would be revealed earlier in the year.