Monday, July 23, 2007
Press Release: Chibo Onyeji Wins the 2nd Olaudah Equiano Prize for Fiction
Bay Shore, New York: July 23, 2007: Iroko Productions LLC today announces Chibo Onyeji as the winner of the 2nd Oladuah Equiano Prize for Fiction. He won the $1000 Prize with his short story, "Escapegoat."
Chibo Onyeji teaches at the University of Vienna, Austria. His short story, “The Professor” was shortlisted for the 2005 Olaudah Equiano Prize for Fiction.
The judges describe Chibo Onyeji's winning short story, "Escapegoat," as "an artistic and bookish collage of life-affirming conflicts at all levels of human experience."
Continuing on why Onyeji’s “Escapegoat” won the 2007 Equiano prize, the statement of the Board of Judges reads: “The African student who battles his Caucasian professor at a Belgrade bar on the Marxist discontent of the Nigerian genocide and the Biafran war, is also a soldier of fortune fully committed to dispossessing the master of beautiful Zorica who is caught between the legend of an old bottle and the freshness of a new wine. The genius of Onyeji’s “Escapegoat” lies in his triumphant rediscovery of the delicate balance between polemical oratory and artistic self-invention."
Chibo Onyeji was born in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Sts. Cyril & Methodius, Skope and a PhD from Texas A&M University. He is the author of several poetry collections. His short stories, essays, and poems have appeared in journals, anthologies, and online. His latest book of poems Flowers, Bread, and Gold appeared in October 2006. Forthcoming from him are two collections of children’s poems in Igbo language Itu Agwa Ka Agu and Amakaekwu, and a collection of childhood short stories, Ikedi.
The second prize goes to Ken N. Kamoche for his story "A Glimpse of Life." The $300 2nd prize is endowed by Dr. Chuma Osakwe in the memory of his late father Chief S. B. C. Osakwe.
The 3rd prize of $100 endowed by Nigerianvillagesquare.com goes to Afam Akeh for his story "The Denial."
All stories submitted for this year's competition will be considered for publication in an anthology of short fiction devoted to new voices of Africans abroad.
Chielozona Eze’s short story, “Lessons in German,” was the prime winner of the first Equiano Prize in 2005.
The judges for this year's competition are Okey Ndibe, Wale Adebanwi, and Obiwu.
According to Rudolf Okonkwo, the CEO of Iroko Productions LLC, "entries for next year's edition will open on December 2007, and the winner will be announced in July 2008.”
The Olaudah Equiano Prize for Fiction is supported by Ehimen Edokpa of IBG Tax & Accounting LLC, www.ibgtax.com, and Pius Airewele Esq.
Contact Information: Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo
Email: Rudolf@irokoproductions.com
Phone: 617-697-1733
http://www.equianoprize.blogspot.com/
Chibo Onyeji teaches at the University of Vienna, Austria. His short story, “The Professor” was shortlisted for the 2005 Olaudah Equiano Prize for Fiction.
The judges describe Chibo Onyeji's winning short story, "Escapegoat," as "an artistic and bookish collage of life-affirming conflicts at all levels of human experience."
Continuing on why Onyeji’s “Escapegoat” won the 2007 Equiano prize, the statement of the Board of Judges reads: “The African student who battles his Caucasian professor at a Belgrade bar on the Marxist discontent of the Nigerian genocide and the Biafran war, is also a soldier of fortune fully committed to dispossessing the master of beautiful Zorica who is caught between the legend of an old bottle and the freshness of a new wine. The genius of Onyeji’s “Escapegoat” lies in his triumphant rediscovery of the delicate balance between polemical oratory and artistic self-invention."
Chibo Onyeji was born in Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Sts. Cyril & Methodius, Skope and a PhD from Texas A&M University. He is the author of several poetry collections. His short stories, essays, and poems have appeared in journals, anthologies, and online. His latest book of poems Flowers, Bread, and Gold appeared in October 2006. Forthcoming from him are two collections of children’s poems in Igbo language Itu Agwa Ka Agu and Amakaekwu, and a collection of childhood short stories, Ikedi.
The second prize goes to Ken N. Kamoche for his story "A Glimpse of Life." The $300 2nd prize is endowed by Dr. Chuma Osakwe in the memory of his late father Chief S. B. C. Osakwe.
The 3rd prize of $100 endowed by Nigerianvillagesquare.com goes to Afam Akeh for his story "The Denial."
All stories submitted for this year's competition will be considered for publication in an anthology of short fiction devoted to new voices of Africans abroad.
Chielozona Eze’s short story, “Lessons in German,” was the prime winner of the first Equiano Prize in 2005.
The judges for this year's competition are Okey Ndibe, Wale Adebanwi, and Obiwu.
According to Rudolf Okonkwo, the CEO of Iroko Productions LLC, "entries for next year's edition will open on December 2007, and the winner will be announced in July 2008.”
The Olaudah Equiano Prize for Fiction is supported by Ehimen Edokpa of IBG Tax & Accounting LLC, www.ibgtax.com, and Pius Airewele Esq.
Contact Information: Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo
Email: Rudolf@irokoproductions.com
Phone: 617-697-1733
http://www.equianoprize.blogspot.com/
# posted by Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo @ 2:47 PM 
