The Caine Prize

By JG

Caine Prize: Nigeria’s Round

With three Nigerians among the five on the short-list, West African hopes were high for a Nigerian winner of the 2007 Caine Prize. In the event there was disappointment when the winner was announced at the dinner held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, on 9th : it was ‘Jambula Tree’ by Ugandan Monica Arac de Nyeko.

However, there were West African ‘credits’ at the function. Some of these were Ghanaian since ‘Jambula Tree’ had appeared in African Love Stories edited by Ama Ata Aidoo and published by Ayebia Clarke.

Nigeria was also involved. It seems that the principal sponsors of the Caine Prize are the Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation (one of the Sainsbury Family trusts) and Celtel International BV. (The last named picks up the cost of writing workshops.) At Oxford on the 9th guests enjoying the hospitality of the Caine Prize organizers were told that a major Nigerian institution, the First City Monument Bank Plc, had provided the wines offered, a South African Chenin Blanc and the Wine Society’s Côtes du Rhône.

See also here.