The Toyin Falola Prize has announced the writers longlisted for its second edition.

The prize, administered by literary magazine Lunaris Review, is conferred in honor of distinguished professor of African History Toyin Falola. It awards a cash prize of $2,500 to a single writer between the ages of 15 and 35. The 2021 edition was themed “Africanfuturism.”

The longlist of eleven stories, which was gleaned from 495 eligible submissions, featured writers from Ghana (1), Kenya (2), Nigeria (6), and South Africa (2). 

The judges, South African author Nerine Dorman and Ghanaian author Akwasi Aidoo, praised the longlisted stories for “use of dialogues, imagination, and writing, all of which have culminated in enthralling reads.”

See the longlist below.

1) “Hold Day” – Nana Adwoa Tweneboah Amponsah-Mensah /Ghana

2) “Iphopho Le Vezandlebe” – Tshepiso Mabula / South Africa

3) “Scars Without a Wound” – David Okigbo / Nigeria

4) “Breaking the System” – Adewunmi Aboyade / Nigeria

5) “Sinmot” – Blessing Nwodo / Nigeria

6) “Inside the Eye” – Racquel Anyango / Kenya

7) “Eavesdroppers” – Mary Ann Egbudom / Nigeria

8) “Should have Listened to Mother” – Mandisi Nkomo / South Africa

9) “Lotanna Rising” – Michael Nwanolue / Nigeria

10) “Hunger for Crystal” – Ernestine-Vera Kabushemeye / Kenya

11) “Superposition” – Justin Clement / Nigeria

The shortlist will be announced shortly along with the winning announcement.

Congratulations to the writers!