I
just finished reading and rereading all the five 2013 Caine Prize
nominated stories. Wow, the writers all blew me away with the first-rate
quality of their writing. It was a wonderful literary feast for the
written word hungry like me. Hmmm, I feel sorry for those Caine prize
judges! Picking a winner will be the most difficult job for them. I
started with Chinelo Okparanta’s beautiful Lesbianism/oil
spill story, “America,” and I was like, “She’ll win it.” Then Abubakar
Adam Ibrahim’s “The Whispering Trees” left me breathless and at the same
level with Chinelo’s “America.” Next, I read Tope Folarin’s church set,
“Miracle” and the blind prophet made me think of T.B Joshua. Elnathan
John’s “Bayan Layi” about political tension and looting in northern
Nigeria was cool but I think I enjoyed Pede Hollist’s “Foreign Aid” even
more. So which is my favourite? Em, Abubakar, em, Chinelo. I’m
rooting for both of them at once. I’ll combine their names, I’m rooting
for Chinelo Abubakar, lol, closely followed by Pede Hollist. But no
matter who wins, a Caine Prize nomination itself is a very big victory.
So, kudos to all of them for a job well done!
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