ato quayson

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Features, Lit Scene August 7, 2017

A Friend, a Mentor, a Confidante | Read Professor Ato Quayson’s Tribute to the Late Literary Scholar Abiola Irele

Nigerian literary scholar Abiola Irele passed away last month. He was 81 years old when he died and had led a life dedicated to the study of African literature. The flood of condolence messages and tributes on social media is a testament to the man’s greatness as scholar, a colleague and a mentor. Wole Soyinka, […]

The Impossibly Dapper Novelist: A Look at Alain Mabanckou’s Style File

From Chimamanda Adichie’s widely-publicized made-in-Nigeria wardrobe to Teju Cole’s Ikire Jones scarves to Prof Ato Quayson’s fedora hats, fashion and style have become a new mode of self-expression among African literary figures. They effortlessly blend literary success and a love for style. In so doing, these writers have transformed the idea of the public intellectual into […]

The Improvisational Jazz Rhythms of Fiston Mwanza Mujila’s Tram 83 | by Ato Quayson

Fiston Mwanza Mujila was announced winner of the 2015 Etisalat Literature Prize at a grand ceremony in Lagos on March 19, 2016. As Chair of the Jury panel, which also included writers Molara Wood and Zukiswa Wanner, I was proud to make the announcement at the ceremony and to bask vicariously in the glow that […]

Prof. Quayson on Etisalat Prize: It is a Magnificent Gift Offering to the World of African Letters

Last saturday, in the online African literary community, all eyes were on Lagos. The award gala for the Etisalat Prize for literature was taking place and everyone held their breath waiting for the judges to announce the winner of the 15, 000 pounds award. You probably know by now that Fiston Mujila came out the […]

What Do African Literature Professors Read? | Prof. Ato Quayson Reveals His Childhood Library

As any avid reader knows, books define us. Things we read brand us. They become part of our intellectual DNA, defining who we are, our moral compass, our emotional lives, and even how we encounter future books. Maybe that’s why it’s always so fascinating to see what people read at key moments in their lives. A few […]

The 2015 Etisalat Prize Shortlist is All About the Experimental Novel

What a great way to end the year! The Etisalat Prize for Literature shortlist is out! And, as usual, there are a few surprises. The Etisalat Prize for Literature is the only prize designed solely to recognize debut African fiction writers. In just three years of being in existence, it has become a cultural force in […]

The 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature Longlist is Here!

The Etisalat Prize for Literature is fast becoming Africa’s most prestigious prize. Ever since the 2015 call for submissions was made earlier this year, we have been on the look out for the longlist. It is finally here! The esteemed judges—Prof. Ato Quayson, Zukiswa Wanner, and Molara Wood—have been hard at work. They’ve now pared […]

Applications Now Open for the £15,000 Etisalat Prize for Literature

Buckle up guys. The search for Africa’s next best fiction is about to begin. The last edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature was a high point in the African literary community. We all saw the photos from the beautiful award gala and watched Vine clips of Tsi tsi Dangaremgba’s epic dance moves. [Click HERE if […]