African Human Rights Short Story Competition Winners announced
By Wole Adedoyin
The International Human Rights Art Festival, says it’s delighted to announce the winners of the African Human Rights Short Story Competition.
An initiative, the organisation says was aimed at promoting human rights values in Africa and positively influencing the betterment of the human rights situation in the continent.
IHRAF disclosed that the announcement was sequel to careful deliberation, adding that the winners were selected from a pool of exceptional entries that highlighted the diverse perspectives on human rights issues in Africa.
The shortlisted entries, consisting of 10 outstanding stories, were initially selected by Ugochukwu Anadi.
Subsequently, the winning entries were assessed by renowned playwright, author, and visual artist, Tom Block. With his extensive experience and expertise, Tom evaluated each story based on its artistic merit, thematic relevance, and its ability to shed light on pressing human rights concerns.
The winners of the African Human Rights Short Story Competition are as follows:
FIRST PRIZE – STEVE BIKO PRIZE: $100
Title: “Water Maid”
Author: Victor Damilola Garuba
Word Count: 3548
SECOND PRIZE – PROF. PIUS ADESANMI PRIZE: $75
Title: “You Are a Criminal”
Author: Chukwu Sunday Abel
Word Count: 3200
THIRD PRIZE – BINYAVANGA WAINAINA PRIZE: $50
Title: “At the End of the Rainbow”
Author: Olusoji Obebe
Word Count: 2554
According to IHRAF, “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners for their exceptional storytelling and insightful exploration of human rights themes. Their contributions have added to the richness of African literature and will serve as an inspiration to aspiring writers across the continent.”
To collect their prize certificates and monetary awards, the winners are requested to contact Wole Adedoyin, the African Regional Director of IHRAF. Mr Adedoyin can be reached at [woleadedoyin@gmail.com].
The African Human Rights Short Story Competition is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival, USA, a platform dedicated to promoting human rights values through various artistic mediums. IHRAF believes in the transformative power of art and aims to foster dialogue, understanding, and empathy among individuals and communities.
Through initiatives like the African Human Rights Short Story Competition, IHRAF seeks to amplify the voices of African writers and highlight the importance of human rights discourse in addressing societal challenges. By recognising outstanding literary talent, IHRAF hopes to encourage further engagement with human rights issues and foster positive change in Africa.
ABOUT IHRAF: The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) is a groundbreaking platform that brings together artists, activists, and advocates from around the world to create and showcase transformative art that explores human rights issues. Founded in 2017 by Tom Block, a playwright and visual artist, IHRAF provides a space for artists to express their perspectives on human rights and encourages dialogue and action for positive change. To learn more, please visit [ihraf.org].
