By Chimezie Godfrey
The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), organizer of the African Human Rights Short Story Competition has announced the selection of two judges for the ongoing Short Story competition aimed at promoting and supporting the realization of human rights in Africa.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan, the Director of IHRAF in Africa, Wole Adedoyin disclosed that they have received over 100 outstanding entries from over 10 countries within and outside Africa.
Adedoyin stated that to evaluate and select outstanding entries for the top prizes in the competition, the organizer of the African Human Rights Short Story Competition has unveiled two distinguished individuals with diverse experiences and expertise in Short Story Writing.
He stated,”This year’s prizes will also be awarded in the names of the following African human rights defenders: Steve Biko Prize – $100, Pius Adebola Adesanmi PRIZE – $75 and Binyavanga Wainaina Prize – $50
“The two selected judges are Gabriel Sunday Afolayan and Tom Block.
“Gabriel Sunday Afolayan is a Nigerian newspaper columnist, a polytechnic lecturer, novelist, poet and public affairs commentator. His interest covers such genres as prose fiction, poetry and creative essays. He has been writing since his days in the university, contributing local news, articles and short stories for publication in national newspapers and magazines. He attended the Institute of Journalism, Benin City and later Enugu State University of Science and Technology,Enugu, as well as Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria,where he bagged his M.Sc in Mass Communication. He is currently researching a Ph.D in “Media and Ethno-political Crises in Nigeria” from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“The Ekiti State-born writer started his journalism career with the defunct National Concord, where he rose to the position of State Correspondent, later to the TheGuardian newspaper as a Staff Reporter and Issues news magazine as Staff Writer. During his days in the news media, he extensively covered different beats, writing many lead stories on crime, political and allied metropolitan events and issues, with particular focus on investigative and interpretative journalism.
“A prolific writer, Afolayan’sfirst published title – Beyond the Silent Grave,published in 2001 by Spectrum Books, Ibadan -was an instant success.The 251-page fast paced novel was later nominated for many awards, including theCadbury/ANA Prose Prize and NLNG’s Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2004. The book was later awarded the FG/UBE Grant in 2013/2014 alongside some selected titles by different Nigerian authors for the education intervention programme of the Federal Ministry of Education.
“Apart from his media experience, he has worked in the manufacturing industry and rose to the post of Marketing Manager in a vegetable oil company in Ondo State before taking appointment with the Ondo State Polytechnic, now, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Nigeria, where he currently teaches journalism, media and communication courses in the Department of Mass Communication. As a public affairs analyst, he has been a regular personality on television and radio stations in Ondo State, featuring regularly on such programmes as Cross Fire, AM Today and Ojumo Ire – where topical issues affecting the society are discussed with other panelists.
“Apart from a long dossier of about twenty well researched articles published in many reputable journals within and outside Nigeria, his works, ranging from full length novels, book chapters, poems and short stories in anthology collections, have enjoyed wide circulation and acceptance as literature reference materials in many universities across the globe. His other books also includeRomoke: the Little Orphan – published on the grant of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Pa Jeje’s Legendary Tales, The Recalcitrant King and The Sunshine Tales (an anthology of short stories),which he co-edited. His short story novelettes, particularly designed for primary school pupils, include Taiwo and His Naughty Friends, Death and the Three Greedy Rascals, The Richman and the Poor Beggars,among other titles.”
He added,” As one of a few committedand established writers in the 21st century Africa, his works have been reviewed by different newspapers in Nigeria and scholars in first class institutions abroad. These include Safari Books, Channel Islands, UK, African Books Collective, Oxford, UK, University of Texas, Austin, USA,andWorld Literature Today, published at the University of Oklahoma, USA and some online platforms. One of his poems: Plagued by the Anger of Hunger was selected in 2021 as one of the “10 most outstanding entries” in the #EndSars poetry contest, organised by the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) in collaboration with the US-based International Human Rights Arts Festival.
“A literary activist and community development enthusiast, Afolayan is a member of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), African Journalism and Communication League (AJCL) Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and currently the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ondo State Chapter and was once a member of the National Executive Committee of the association. He is married to former Miss Oluwatoyin Omodara and their union is blessed with godly and wonderful children.”
He further disclosed,”Tom Block is a playwright, author of five books and 20+ year visual artist. His plays have been developed and produced at such venues as the Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, IRT Theater, Theater at the 14th Street Y, Theater Row, A.R.T.-NYand many others. He was the founding producer of the International Human Rights Art Festival (2017), the Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival (2010) and a Research Fellow at DePaul University (2010). He has exhibited his artwork and spoken about his ideas throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. www.tomblock.com
“The longlist of 20 outstanding entries are expected to be announced in the middle of February, 2023.”
