The shortlist for the CFWriterz June Freedom Magazine for the Collins Elesiro Prize has been announced. The theme for the June 2019 Magazine was “Sweetness”, adapted from a poetry collection by Stefn Sylvester Anyatonwu. This year’s prize comes with a hundred thousand naira and a digital publishing deal with CFWriterz for the Top 3 entries. The prize sponsor, Collins Elesiro of Crystalinks Education also funds the Print version of the Magazine.

The six-entry shortlist includes entries cutting across all three categories; – poetry, fiction, and nonfiction – one entry penetrates the meticulousness of what Sweetness entails, and a short story takes what is seemingly mundane and carves out a riveting tale.

The shortlist was compiled after detailed consideration by the judges – Michael Emmanuel for Fiction and Nonfiction; Jide Badmus for Poetry. The shortlisted entries in no particular order are:

  • Unbridled Things by Maxwell Fashola (Fiction)
  • You do not know when you are gone by Nneoma Mbalewe (Fiction)
  • The Orange Tree by Adewuyi Ademuyiwa (Fiction)
  • The Silent Plea by Resoketswe Manenzhe (Fiction)
  • The Taste of Home by Chinenyenwa Favour Chukwuma (Nonfiction)
  • Home-bound Dancers by Ugochukwu Nwafor (Poetry)

The announcement of the winners will be made alongside the publication of the magazine within the next days.