It Takes A Village - By Ngwah-Mbo Nana Nkweti [2019 Caine Prize Shortlist]

All Our Lives - By Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor [2019 Caine Prize Shortlist]

“Fiction is to put yourself in other people’s shoes, the part of the reader is to also allow yourself to go along with a journey.” Rwandan/ Namibian writer Rémy Ngamije reads from his story The Neighbourhood Watch and talks to Georgina about his inspiration for the story,  he discusses Namibia’s literary scene and being editor in chief of literary magazine Doek! The winner of the 21st AKO Caine Prize for African Writing will be announced on the 27th July 2020 - visit www.caineprize.com for details.

Georgina Godwin meets Remy Ngamije: 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing Shortlistee

“I was interested in writing about food and the preparation of food…I feel it is not only physically nourishing but also for the mind and the spirit.” Jowhor Ile joins Georgina Godwin to read from his story Fisherman's Stew, they discuss his journey as an award-winning writer and academic, his affinity for the short story genre and what inspired him to write Fisherman’s Stew. The winner of the 21st AKO Caine Prize for African Writing will be announced on the 27th July 2020 - visit www.caineprize.com for details.

Georgina Godwin meets JOWHOR ILE_2020 AKO CAINE PRIZE SHORTLISTEE

“I wanted to write a body of work that fulfilled my need for academic rigour….”Nigerian British writer Chikodili Emelumadu joins Georgina Godwin to read from her story What to do when your child brings home a Mami Wata, they discuss Chikodili being shortlisted for the prize for a second time, the story’s unique structure and its  deeper meanings. The winner of the 21st AKO Caine Prize for African Writing will be announced on the 27th July 2020 - visit www.caineprize.com for details.

Georgina Godwin meets CHIKODILI EMELUMADU_2020 AKO CAINE PRIZE SHORTLISTEE

“We are living in a world where women are reduced to these really superficial things or they’re reduced to their sex and so it was very important for me to address that.” Georgina Godwin is joined by Tanzanian writer Erica Sugo Anyadike who reads from How to Marry an African President and they discuss Erica’s experience of growing up in Zimbabwe and her literary inspirations and motivations. The winner of the 21st AKO Caine Prize for African Writing will be announced on the 27th July 2020 - visit www.caineprize.com for details.

Georgina Godwin Meets ERICA SUGO ANYADIKE 2020 AKO CAINE PRIZE SHORTLISTEE

Journalist Georgina Godwin is joined by the Chair of the AKO Caine Prize Ellah Wakatama. They discuss the 2020 shortlist, the history of the 21 year old prize, the future of the prize and the judging process. The winner of the 21st AKO Caine Prize for African Writing will be announced on the 27th July 2020 - visit www.caineprize.com for details.

Georgina Godwin Meets Ellah Wakatama OBE The AKO 2020 Caine Prize for African Writing

“I always thought that my writing was a bit too weird for something like the Caine Prize”
 “I really like to centre the idea of outsiderness and the idea of people who we don’t normally see seen, I really like to make them visible in my work.” Nigerian British writer Irenosen Okojie joins Georgina Godwin to read from her story Grace Jones, and talk about what writing means to her, her writing process, and about what being nominated for the AKO Caine Prize means to her.

Georgina Godwin meets Irenosen Okojie: 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing Shortlistee

Georgina Godwin speaks to Chair of judges Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE, winner of the 2020 AKO Caine Prize Irenosen Okojie and Chair of the Prize Ellah Wakatama OBE. 

Kenneth talks about the process of reading more than 180 stories, discussing and adjucating with fellow judges, and being stopped in his tracks by Irenosen's story. 

In this final episode we hear from Irenosen Okojie herself, reflecting on her win and living all of this in the middle of a pandemic.. "I'm still in a bit of a daze!"

And to wrap up this final episode, the Chair of the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing Ellah Wakatama OBE speaks to Georgina about this year's prize, and the steps forward...

Georgina Godwin's final episode with 2020 AKO Caine Prize Winner Irenosen Okojie

The Prize is named in celebration of the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc, who was Chairman of the 'Africa 95' arts festival in Europe and Africa in 1995 and for nearly 25 years Chairman of the Booker Prize management committee.

Shortly before he died, Sir Michael Caine was working on the idea of a prize to encourage the growing recognition of the worth of African writing in English, its richness and diversity, by bringing it to a wider audience. His friends and colleagues decided to carry this idea forward and establish a prize of £10,000 to be awarded annually in his memory.

As he intended, the Caine Prize is open to writers from anywhere in Africa for work published in English. Its focus is on the short story, reflecting the contemporary development of the African story-telling tradition.

Caine Prize

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