The 2020 AKO Caine Prize-winning short story “Grace Jones” by Nigerian writer Irenosen Okojie was recently translated into Portuguese, Shona and Yoruba.

The project is the first of its kind in the history of the AKO Caine Prize, which has annually awarded a £10,000 cash award to over twenty one African writers since its founding in 2000.

“Grace Jones” originally appeared in Nudibranch, a short story collection by Irenosen Okojie. The story revolves around a traumatic experience that shapes the life of a woman who impersonates the celebrated singer Grace Jones.

The Portuguese translation was done by Sandra Tamele, expert translator and interpreter based in Mozambique, the Shona translation was done by Tendai Huchu, Zimbabwean novelist and author of The Hairdresser of Harare, while the Yoruba translation was done by Kola Tubosun, linguist and academic scholar, in partnership with The British Library.

Read “Grace Jones” in Portuguese, Shona and Yoruba.