Did Ngugi wa Thiong’o Deserve The Literature Nobel Prize More Than Bob Dylan?

 Ngugi wa Thiong’o, one of the most celebrated African writers, failed to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2016, losing to American artist and writer, Bob Dylan, mid-this month in a decision that drew condemnation from leading writers across the world.

The Nobel Prize for Literature is usually awarded by the Swedish Academy to authors for their outstanding contributions in literature.

This is the second time that Kenya’s most celebrated novelist failed to win the prize after losing to Mario Vargas Llosa of Peru in 2010, after book makers tipped him as the front-runner.

“Their decision is contemptuous of writers. I like Dylan but where is the literary work? I think the Swedish Academy have made themselves look ridiculous,” Pierre Assouline, a leading French write and journalist told AFP.

Analysts had tipped Thiong’o who is currently a distinguished Professor of the Departments of Comparative Literature and English as the University of California, in the U.S. and Adonis, a controversial Syrian poet, as the leading candidates for this year’s award.

Dylan’s win upset the expectations that Thiong’o’s great literature works touching on nationalism, societal classes, race and gender, cutting through diverse cultures on the continent would give him the victory, making him the fifth African writer to win the prestigious award, Quartz Africa reported.

“Shocked Nobel Prize for Literature didn’t go to Africa’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Methinks @NobelPrize has a curious fascination with white men,” Professor Makau Mutua, a Kenyan-American law professor wrote on his Twitter account.

The Kenyan writer is renowned for books such as The Devil on the Cross, Weep Not Child, The River Between, Wizard of the Crow and Petals of Blood is regarded as one of the best in Africa, alongside greats such as Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka.

Just like Soyinka and Achebe, Thiong’o was born during the colonial times and much of his work was shaped by the political disillusionment faced by Africans during the colonial era.
Past African winners of the award include Wole Soyinka of Nigeria, J.M Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer of South Africa.

Gordimer became the first African woman to win the prize in 1991.

Achebe, one of Nigeria’s best writers who died in 2013 in the U.S never won the prize. Thiong’o is likely to join him as some of the best literature writers who failed to win the award.

How To Turn N10,800 into Millions through ZARFUND

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So why is there so much hype and buzz around Zarfund? The answer is simple. This new virus in town could make you rich beyond your wildest dream and its 100% scam free and transparent.

So what exactly is Zarfund? Zarfund is a team-work based, person – to – person funding platform. The company started mid-August but is gaining substantial unmatched grounds the Investment world has ever seen.

How does it work? Zarfund is all about team work. And the start-up capital is $18 which is payable in bitcoin. All new investors voluntarily pays their upline (the person who referred them) $18, then the  investor will invite two person who will pay him $18 each  making x2 of his investment in one day (at that point you move to level 2). Then your two referrals will have to refer two people each and the matrix keeps forming.

Zarfund is a 2x6 forced matrix that is impossible to do alone, hence TEAMWORK is encouraged. That’s what set Zarfund apart from all other investment. With teamwork you can use $18 to earn $78,044 which is the highest level.

Now in Zarfund you only need two referrals (It’s called the power of two). Two referrals is the Maximum, you can’t have more than it.

Estimated profit calculation of Zarfund System

Level 1-: 2 x 0.03btc (paid by your two direct referrals) = 0.06btc (you upgrade to level 2 with 0.05btc) profit = 0.01btc or $6.97 (you will receive this sum immediately and monthly if you stay at this level)

Level 2-: 4 x 0.05btc (paid by your referrals referrals) = 0.2btc (you upgrade to level 3 with 0.1btc) profit = 0.1btc or $60.97(you will receive this sum immediately and monthly if you stay at this level)

Level 3-: 8 x 0.1btc (paid by your referrals referrals) = 0.8btc (you upgrade to level 4 with 0.2btc) profit = 0.6btc or $365.83 (you will receive this sum immediately and monthly if you stay at this level)

Level 4-: 16 x 0.2btc (paid by your referrals referrals) = 3.2btc (you upgrade to level 5 with 1btc) profit = 2.2btc or $1,341.38 (you will receive this sum immediately and monthly if you stay at this level)

Level 5-: 32 x 1btc (paid by your referrals referrals) = 32btc (you upgrade to level 5 with 2btc) profit = 30btc or $18,291.60 (you will receive this sum immediately and monthly if you stay at this level)

Level 6-: 64 x 2btc (paid by your referrals referrals) profit = 128btc or $78,044.16 (There is no upgrading this is the final stage) you will receive this sum immediately and monthly when you get to this level

Estimated profit calculation of Zarfund System in Naira

Donate 10500 ($19)

Level 1 -: Receive 10500 from 2 ref (your two direct referrals) = 21 k (donate 17500 to upgrade) gain 3500 

Level 2 -: Receive 17500 from 4 referrals (paid by your referrals referrals) = 70k (donate 35k to upgrade) gain 35k

Level 3 -: Receive 35k from 8 referrals (paid by your referrals referrals) = 280k (donate 70 to upgrade) gain 210k

Level 4 -: Receive 70k from 16 referrals (paid by your referrals referrals) = 1.12M (d onate 350k to upgrade) gain 770k

Level 5 -: Receive 350k from 32 referrals (paid by your referrals referrals) = 11.2m (donate 700k to upgrade) gain 10.5M

Level 6 -: Receive 700k from 64 referrals (paid by your referrals referrals) = 44.8M

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*Nobody at all have access to your money not even Zarfund.

*Zarfund don’t pay you, members pay you. Zarfund is just the platform.

This new buzz in town offers endless possibilities and you can make so much with your Team. Zarfund is a Teamwork platform and we are the leading team in Africa. We will be the first Group in Nigeria to produce a plethora of level 6 investors. Teams are formed in Zarfund to assist investors with referrals, so all you basically have to do is join a team and invest.

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Literature fetches writer N31m in time of recession

The Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Literature has announced writer and journalist, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, as the winner of the 2016 edition of the prize after a nine-month long process of adjudication.

Chairman of the board, Emeritus Prof. Ayo Banjo, made the announcement at a meeting with journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.

Ibrahim’s novel, Season of Crimson Blossoms, beat 172 other entries, including the works of close contenders, El-Nathan John and Belgium-based Chika Unigwe, to emerge winner of this year’s competition in the prose fiction category.

In his report, Banjo said, “It was a strong field this year. The shortlisted entries were very strong and the board had no difficulty in accepting the recommendation of the panel of judges, considering the subject matter and competent manner in which the winner demonstrated the execution of his work.”

He described the winning novel as “a skillful and sympathetic narrative handling of a most psychologically and emotionally painful” encounter between an aging widow, who seeks release from her culturally imposed sexual repression, and the young leader of a group of dealers in hard drugs.

Still on the summary of the novel, Banjo continued, “In the background, the violent history of ethnic hatred and conflicts in Jos is placed within the larger context of contemporary Nigerian history with its complex and sometimes violent intertwining of politics, religion and culture.

“The novel moves from its evocative and passionate first sentence through a web of anxious moments to a tragic and painful conclusion with hardly a moment of respite.  All through it projects the implications of certain social issues for a younger audience – key issues such as early marriage, drug abuse and the impact of relationships on human action. It is a novel whose narrow domestic action has a wider universal relevance beyond its immediate setting.”

Reacting to the verdict, the General Manager, External Relations at the Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas Company Limited, sponsors of the literature prize, Kudo Eresia-Eke, noted that the quality of entries in the 2016 competition had said a lot for the development and progression of Nigerian writing. “We are very proud of the quality of the entries received. Let me reiterate very clearly that we will continue to support the integrity and excellence, which are some of the pillars that we have built the NLNG’s success as a company on,” he said.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature is awarded with a cash prize of $100, 000 (N31m at the official exchange rate). Ibrahim’s maiden short story collection, The Whispering Trees, was longlisted for the inaugural Etisalat Prize for Literature in 2014 and the title story was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing.

The panel of judges for the 2016 prize comprises Prof. Dan Izevbaye, who is the chairman; Prof. Asabe Usman Kabir of the Usumanu Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto and Prof. Isidore Diala of the Imo State University, Owerri.

The panel had, through the Advisory Board, released an initial shortlist of 11 entries in July and later in September, a final shortlist of three entries. The three shortlisted entries, in alphabetic order, were Born on a Tuesday (Elnathan John), Night Dancer (Chika Unigwe) and Season of Crimson Blossoms (Abubakar Adam Ibrahim).

Last year, the literature prize, which focused on children’s literature, was not awarded due to what the judges, led by Prof. Uwemedimo Iwoketok of the University of Jos, described as the inability of the entries to manifest competence in the use of language.

In its 13th year, the Nigeria Prize for Literature has since 2005 rewarded about 11 Nigerian writers, including the last winner, Sam Ukala, Tade Ipadeola, Chika Unigwe, Gabriel Okara, late Ezenwa Ohaeto, Akachi Ezeigbo, Mabel Segun and the late Esiaba Irobi, among others, across the various genres.

Contrary to speculations, there is no indication that the sponsors will cease to provide funding for the prize anytime soon. Responding to a question from a journalist at the press briefing, Eresia gave the assurance that the prize would continue to exist and the NLNG would not withdraw its support for literature, in spite of the economic recession in the country.

UBA calls for entries in essay contest: Prizes N1 million, N750,000 and N500,000.

UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has called for entries in its 2016 national essay competition.

Speaking at a press launch at its headquarters in Lagos, the Managing Director of UBA Foundation, Ijeoma Aso, said the essay competition provides an opportunity for students in senior secondary schools across the country to win prizes in form of educational grants.

Entries for the essay competition opened on September 23, 2016, and will close on November 4, 2016.
The topic is ‘If you were in a position to help the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), what would you do?”
The first prize for the competition is a N1 million educational grant for the winner to study in any African university of his or her choice.

The second and third prizes are N750,000 and N500,000 educational grants respectively.
Aso explained that the competition is part of the foundation’s initiative to promote creative and analytical thinking among senior secondary students in Nigeria and across Africa and is a follow up on the Foundation’s Read Africa initiative, which promotes reading culture among students through mentoring and free distribution of Africa literary classics in secondary schools. The national essay competition is also held in Ghana and Senegal.

Entries received for the competition will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputable Nigerian universities, who will then shortlist 12 best essays for further assessment.
A second round of the competition will involve the 12 finalists who will write a second supervised essay from which three best essays will be selected.

“Three best essays will be selected as the overall winners from 12 finalists that will emerge from the first round of the competition,”Aso said.

Group Head, Media, Charles Aigbe, said the essay competition is one of bank’s contributions to educational development in Nigeria and across Africa.

He urged students to take the national essay competition seriously as it provides a massive opportunity for them to change their lives for the better, adding that the competition is a process to make younger generation better for their families, nation, continent and the world.

“As a pan-African financial services group with operations in 22 countries, we aim to impact on the countries we do business through the three main anchors of education, environment and social empowerment,” he said.