Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) held its Grand Award Night in Lagos on Friday, October 9, and honored three Nigerian winners across the Nigeria Prizes. Poet Ogaga Ifowodo won the $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature for Why Does God Need a Gun?, chosen from 223 entries in a poetry year. We reported on his win here. Filmmakers Peter Oghenetega Oke, for Beyond Tarkwa Bay, and Feranmi Abiola, for Mara Mania, shared the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, a $20,000 documentary prize selected from 98 entries. NLNG announced that prize at last year’s Grand Award Night. Mary-Brenda Akoda won the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation for GenScan AI, chosen from 237 entries.

The guests included Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Nollywood veteran, Sam Dede, among others. Obasanjo toured NLNG’s Heritage Museum, which traces the intertwined histories of Nigeria and NLNG. His Majesty King Edward Asimini William Dappa-Pepple III, the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, was also in attendance. NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Adeleye Falade, delivered the opening speech, “Honouring Our Heritage, Inspiring Excellence.” Nancy Isime and Joseph Benjamin hosted the evening.

NLNG summed up the night as three stories of Nigerian excellence: a poet who gave voice to the vanished, two filmmakers who took audiences to forgotten shores and masked histories, and a young scientist making healthcare smarter. Here are photos from the celebration.

[Photo credit: Nigeria LNG Limited]