23-Year-Old Nigerian Writer Wins £2,500 In The 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize For African region

  • A Nigerian writer identified as Innocent Chizaram Ilo has won the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa region
  • The 23-year-old won the prize with his short story title When a Woman Renounces Motherhood
  • He is the youngest writer to win the prize for Africa region

A 23-year-old Nigerian writer identified as Innocent Chizaram Ilo has won the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa region.

Ilo, who is the youngest writer to be awarded the Africa region prize since the establishment of the Commonwealth prize in 2012, will be receiving £2,500 (N1,220,237.50) and a publication with Granta.

According to Premium Times, Ilo’s short story titled When a Woman Renounces Motherhood won him the prize.

Ilo, who is the youngest writer to be awarded the African region prize since the establishment of the Commonwealth prize in 2012, will be receiving £2,500 (N1,220,237.50) and a publication with Granta.

The chair of the judging panel, Ghanaian writer Nii Parkes, commended the story for its “particularly striking confidence switching between languages and Mr Ilo’s unapologetic use of interspersed, un-italicized Igbo and pidgin”.

Source: Legit

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