News | Oke Wins 2017 NLNG Literature Prize.



Ikeogu Oke, has emerged winner of the 2017 NLNG Prize for Literature for his book The Heresiad .

Oke won the Prize over Tanure Ojaide, who wrote Songs of Myself Quartet, and Ogaga Ifowodo, who authored A Good Mourning.


Announcing this yesterday in Lagos, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo who Chair of the Prize Advisory Committee observed that Oke had won the Prize for his groundbreaking lyrical contents among other considerations by the judges.

Professor Banjo, who commended the panel of judges, said they did a painstakingly thorough job to select the best work for the award.

In his words, the Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Professor Ernest Emenyonu said “Oke’s poetry collection reveals a conscious /deliberate manipulation of language and philosophy in the style that reminds us of the writings of great Greek writers of Homeric and Hellenistic periods.”

He disclosed that 184 entries of various poetry collections were received for this year’s prize from which a long list of 11 was drawn after which a short list of 3 was released.

In his reaction, the winner , Oke, expressed joy over the prize and said it took him 27 years to write the award-winning poetry book.


Oke will be presented with $100,000 prize at the presentation event, expected to be made public by the sponsors of the NLNG Prize.

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