Abubakar Adam Ibrahim wins 46 million Naira for 'Seasons of Crimson Blossoms'

Journalist, writer Abubakar Adam Ibrahim has just won The 2016 Nigeria Prize for Literature for his debut novel Season of Crimson Blossoms.

Season of Crimson Blossoms, Ibrahim’s second novel got him $100,000 prize (about N46 million) beating Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John and the Night Dancer by Chika Unigwe to win the biggest literary prize in Nigeria.

The prize’s advisory board chairman, Emeritus Prof Ayo Banjo announced the winner at a press conference in Lagos.

“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 Ibrahim demonstrated the execution of his work”, said Banjo.

“We are very proud of the quality of entries received. Let me reiterate very clearly that we will continue to support integrity and excellence, which are some of the pillars on which we have built NLNG’s success as a company.”

Reacting to the verdict, the General Manager, External Relations at NLNG, Kudo Eresia-Eke, said: “It has been a very rigorous process and we are very happy that at the end of the day, both the international consultant and panel of judges came to an alignment. We are very proud of the quality of entries received.

“Let me reiterate very clearly that we will continue to support integrity and excellence, which are some of the pillars we have built NLNG’s success as a company on.”

This year’s prize was judged by Professor Dan Izevbaye (chair), Professor Asabe Usman Kabir and Professor Isidore Diala. The members of the advisory board are Professor Emeritus Ayo Banjo (chair), Professor Jerry Agada and Professor Emeritus Ben Elugbe.

A total of 173 entries for the prize were received this year.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature was founded in 2004. It rotates yearly among four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.

Next year’s prize will be for poetry. The first prose winner was Kaine Agary (2008) for her novel Yellow Yellow.

See full list of winners since 2005:

Gabriel Okara (co-winner, 2005, poetry), Prof Ezenwa Ohaeto (co-winner, 2005, poetry);

Ahmed Yerima (2006, drama)

Mabel Segun (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature) Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature)

Kaine Agary (2008, prose)

Esiaba Irobi (2010, drama)

Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, children’s literature)

Chika Unigwe (2012 – prose)

Tade Ipadeola (2013; Poetry)

Sam Ukala (2014; Drama)

The prize is awarded with a cash prize of $100,000, the 19th richest literary prize in the world and the richest in Africa.

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