ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN AUTHORS (ANA, ABUJA BRANCH
PRESS STATEMENT
We are happy to announce the shortlist of the 2nd edition (2008) of ANA ABUJA/ ENGINEER MOHAMMED BASHIR KARAYE PRIZE IN HAUSA LITERATURE. The shortlists are as follows in alphabetical orders (of the authors’ first names).
1. Aliya Z. Mainasara (for HALIN RAYUWA)
2. Abdurrashid Sani Isa Nigeria (Comrade) (for KOWA YA BI)
3. Dala’illu Bobboji (for BAKIN ABI MAGANA)
4. Ibrahim Birniwa (for GARIN MU DA NISA)
5. Muhammad Lawal Barista (for BAKIN KISHI)
6. Nazir Adam (for MURMUSHIN ALKAWALI)
A total of 15 (fifteen) entries were received for this year’s competition. We note that entries have improved despite the short notice that the maiden edition (2008) will, like the maiden edition, centre only on prose writing in Hausa Language as against prose, poetry and drama in alternative order.
The entries is indeed very encouraging as it points to the wider acceptance ob both the Prize itself and the confidence in the final judgment of the literary judges, Mallam Kabir Dan Asabe of the FCT College of Education, Zuba, Abuja and Alhaji Ibrahim Dachia, General Manager, Yobe State Television, Damaturu, Yobe State.
It could be recalled that a year ago, the Secretary of the Federal Judicial service Commission, Abuja, Hajiya Bilkisu Abdulmalik Bashir, instituted what has now come to be known as The Karaye Prize (short for Engineer Mohammed Bashir Karaye Prize in Hausa Literature) in memory and in honour of her late husband, the late Engineer Mohammed Bashir Karaye of blessed memory, with the aim of encouraging creative writing in indigenous language. You may recall that winners were rewarded at a colorful ceremony at Abuja in October, 2007.
The Winner of this edition will take home the sum of N150, 000.00 (One Hundred and fifty thousand naira) while the first and second runners ups will collect the sum of N100, 000.00 (one hundred thousand naira) and N50, 000.00 (fifty thousand naira) respectively.
All arrangements for the award ceremony have been concluded by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Abuja Branch in collaboration with the Engineer Mohammed Bashir Karaye Foundation, promoters of the Karaye Prize.
The date for the Award ceremony is Thursday, 23rd October, 2008. The venue is Shehu Musa Yar’ardua Centre, Abuja and the kick off time is 3:30pm.
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) on behalf of all its members hereby uses this medium to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the widow of the late Engineer Mohammed Bashir Karaye for this great boost to Nigerian literature. We also call on Federal and State governments and all Nigerians of goodwill to give literature and writers moral and financial support for National integration and development.
Thank you and God bless.
Patrick Tagbo Oguejiofor
SECRETARY
Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Branch
