To celebrate the UK’s biggest annual African literature festival in July, AFREADA in partnership with Africa Writes Competition will see participants develop a story about social class based on a passage from the festival co-headliner Chigozie Obioma’s second novel titled, An Orchestra of Minorities. Chigozie Obioma whose first novel, The Fishermen, published in 2015, received several awards and nominations.
The competition, now in its third edition looks for new, original voices from anywhere in the world. Last year’s edition featured a line from Warsan Shire’s poem titled, The House and was won by Maame Blue.
AFREADA is an online literary magazine, featuring original short stories from emerging writers across the Continent.
Who’s eligible?
Anyone from anywhere in the world. Just tell a good story.
Prize:
The winner will receive £100, with the two
finalists getting £50 each.
Guidelines
– The story must not exceed 500 words.
– The story must include the dialogue in it’s entirety with nothing removed or added, either at the beginning, middle or end of the story.
– AFREADA will publish selected entries for the public to vote on the final three in June .
– The winner will be announced 27th July, 2019 at Chigozie Obioma‘ headline event where he will be discussing the book.
– Click on the AFREADA submission page to submit your entry. Alternatively, you can fill this Afreada Google form.
Below is the writing dialogue to be included in your 500 word story:
‘ Have you considered that my daughter here is a soon-to-be pharmacist?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘ Have you considered that she is now completing her bachelor’s in
pharmacy and will proceed to do her MPhil in the UK?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘ Have you considered, young man, what kind of future you, an unschooled farmer, will have with her?’
This dialogue is a reflection of one of the central themes in the book. Chinonso and Ndali fall in love but she is from an educated and wealthy family – and he is not.
Now, your unschooled farmer doesn’t have to be called Chinonso, just like the father in this conversation doesn’t have to be a wealthy Igbo Chief. You decide where your story is set. You decide whether the father’s questions are rhetorical or sincere. You decide what comes before and after this conversation.
Deadline:
Friday, 31 May. 23:59 BST.
Good luck writers!