Ayobami Adebayo, author of the Baileys Prize-shortlisted novel Stay with Me, has been honoured at the 2017 The Future Awards, receiving The Future Awards Africa Prize for Arts and Culture. Also honoured at the Lagos ceremony were: Davido, who received The Future Awards Africa Prize for Music; Anthony Joshua, who received The Future Awards Africa Prize for Sports; and WizKid, who received The Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year, an award won in 2008 by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

The Future Awards, currently in its 12th year, celebrates Africans between ages 18 and 31 who are deemed to be making a difference in their respective fields—arts, technology, entertainment, business, agriculture, public service.

Here is part of Ayobami’s citation on her nomination profile:

With translation rights acquired in 13 countries and a loyal following, Adebayo has become a bright new voice for contemporary fiction out of Nigeria and voice for women everywhere. Her ability to lay bare the plight of Nigerian women and the injustices they face as a result of systematic misogyny fuelled patriarchy (sic) has struck a nerve with women everywhere and reinforced the need for gender equality now.

Congratulations to Ayobami Adebayo.

See the full list of winners HERE.