Second Round – My Best Nigerian Book Contest

Thanks once again to all those that took part in the My Best Nigerian Book writing contest. The entries for the competition are now closed. Twenty-five entries were received featuring no less than fifteen Nigerian Books, including Elechi Amadi’s The Concubine, Buchi Emecheta’s Joys of Motherhood, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus among many others.

The effect books have on our life cannot be over-emphasized. Contestants detailed how reading these books made them start writing too, or begin to see their culture or gender in a different and usually clearer view. Books are definitely a bog part of who we are.

The Naija Stories Team and our Partners (FaraFina Books, Cassava Republic and Dada Books) want to use this opportunity to also welcome all the new members of their FB pages and websites. Please feel free to post your stories here on the website, use the forum and join the FB discussin page. Also share your writings with your friends and invite them to be a part of reading and writing Nigerian Stories and Books.

SECOND ROUND – JUDGING AND VOTING

The Judges for the first round included Myne Whitman (author of A Heart to Mend) and Tola Odejayi – The Naija Stories Team. They were looking for entries that had good and clean use of English. All entries except one qualified and are listed below. You can click on the links to take you to the pages.

The New Era – Augustine Ogwo
Half of a Yellow Sun – Joli
Kambili and I – Chokl8
You got me Fired Up – Elly Turtoe
The hunter and the re-incarnated sea goddess. – Remi Roy
The Gods are not to Blame – Toyin Titiloye
Things Fall Apart – Koasi
Decolonizing My Literary Mind – Addy Bardust
My Best Nigerian Book – Ifreke
Challenging traditional female-gender roles – Ubonebong
Inspired – AY
Blazing Embers – Aizehi
Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus – Biddy
The Concubine: When ‘Igbotic’ is a Good Thing… Cikko907
Rite of Passage – Lade
The book: ‘Say You’re One of Them’ – NakedSha
The Death of I – Tesiro Dore
Abdulwassui Hassan – Wasui
The Essence of Freedom – Anicetus Opara
I loved love yet she loved me not for love wasn’t – Chika Eneanya
Diamond in the Dirt – Funmi F
My Introduction to One of Life’s Greatest Pleasures and Teachers – Cheluchi Onyemelukwe
‘SUNSET AT DAWN’-THE NOVEL THAT BROUGHT ME TO BIAFRA – Henry C. Onyema
The Book – Half of a Yellow Sun – Mary Shorun

- The dates for judging the shortlisted entries as previously announced will be from from Monday July 19 to Thursday July 29, 2010. This will allow the judges enough time to fairly assess all the shortlisted entries. The judges for the second round will include Onyeka Nwelue (Of Abysinnian Boy and Dada Books) Simi Dosekun (Children’s Book Author of Farafina Books) among others. A full list and brief bio of all confirmed judges will be published as time goes on.

- Votes are also open from today July 19 to Thursday July 29, 2010. This will give rise to the final shortlist on Friday, July 30, 2010.  The judges scores will be combined with audience choice votes at 50:50. This will incorporate all the criteria of good and polished writing, creativity and originality of the pieces.

- Votes will be polled on the individual entry pages through the Naija Stories STAR rating system. To vote, go to the end of each post (just above the comments) and click on the star from 1 to 10 that reflects how good you find the entry. See image here:

Voters can  rate as many entries as they want. You can give from one to ten stars based on how you like the entry.

- The winner will be announced on Sunday August 1, 2010 on the website and on the FB page.

Related posts:

1. My Best Nigerian Book Contest
2. Last Round Review – My Best Nigerian Book Contest
3. Extended – My Favorite Nigerian Character in a Book Contest