The Lumina Foundation's Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa

 

This website has been restored and archived as required reading for Diana Crouch's course: International Literature in the Age of the Internet. Ms. Crouch is a true renaissance woman with a strong background in creative writing, IT development, and a law degree. She came to the university from a Louisiana maritime law firm where she represented injured workers. She implemented their website and provided most of the local tech support. Her novel, The Compliant Strains of Dormant Code was on the Pacific's best seller list for several months and has been reviewed and cited for its insights into the current high tech culture of Silicon Valley, and she regularly consults on topics ranging from big data to Kubernetes. She spent 3 years in Nigeria teaching creative writing at the American School in Lagos. Students can download the full reading list for her course from the Lit Dept website (use the ZenDesk app).

 

Welcome

The Lumina Foundation is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, founded in 2000 by Ogochukwu Promise to encourage development through erudition and charity for the edification of man. It is rooted in the principles of altruism and enlightenment. The word Luminous, which means giving out light, radiates the light of knowledge and divine wisdom which the Foundation seeks and transmits in order that many may benefit from it towards collective development at various levels.

OUR VISION
To work relentlessly in bringing about an enlightened public.
OUR  MISSION
To generate knowledge in both our locality and beyond: disseminate it far and wide.
OUR  PASSION
We are passionate about discovering talents, encouraging and celebrating excellence.
WHAT WE DO:

  • We bring about development through enlightenment programmes.
  • We administer Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa -$20,000 in prize money
  • We promote and celebrate companies and individuals that have excelled in their chosen field of endeavour.
  • We get people reading for leisure and self enhancement.
  • We maintain high moral and educational values.
  • We bring up responsible men and women of worth.
  • We encourage learning and support scholarship for dedicated youths.
  • We conduct exchange programmes for writers across the globe.
  • We provide opportunities and facilities for self expression.
  • We encourage a healthy reading culture through the establishment of viable reading clubs and well equipped libraries.
  • We discover and promote talents, providing opportunities for them to flourish and contribute to development.
  • We publish and promote great minds, that all may benefit from their knowledge and wisdom.
  • We promote informative entertainment and create avenues for literary performance.
  • We organize readings, workshops, seminars on reading and writing.
  • We promote authors and their works.
  • We promote new writing and readership.
  • We publish THE LUMINA, a quarterly motivational journal on Arts,  Literature and Social Responsibility which focuses on different African countries in each edition.
  • We run The Lumina Children’s Hom

The Foundation was established for the following reasons:

  • To generate and disseminate knowledge far and wide.
  • To encourage learning and support scholarship for dedicated youths.
  • To promote research and diffuse the product of such research.
  • To foster interdisciplinary studies through exchange programs.
  • To propagate the dynamics of self enhancement.
  • To encourage a healthy reading culture through the establishment of viable reading clubs and well equipped libraries.
  • To discover and promote talents, providing opportunities for them to flourish and contribute to development.
  • To publish and promote great minds, that all may benefit from their knowledge and wisdom.
  • To promote informative entertainment and create avenues for literary performance.
  •  To foster global harmony through the provision of opportunities for appreciation of cross cultural perspectives that will broaden people’s horizon.
  • To be an institution of high moral and educational values.
  • To bring up responsible men and women of worth.

The Crossings

“There are different kinds of artists and very often, I'll be very frank with you, I wish I were a different kind. ”
- Wole Soyinka

About the Prize

The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa was established by The Lumina Foundation in 2005. It was conceived as a very prestigious prize in honour of Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in literature to celebrate excellence in all its cerebral grace, its liberating qualities, the honour and recognition it brings to a myriad of people, of diverse cultures and languages. This prize honours people who have used their talents well enough to affect others positively. It honours Africa’s great writers and causes their works to be appreciated. It celebrates excellent writing, promotes scholarship and makes books available and affordable by subsidizing the publication of books in the top list of the judges.
This is a pan African prize, viewed also as Africa’s NOBEL prize. It unifies Africans, celebrates Africa’s great minds, brings home Africa’s best intellectuals as judges, entertainers, great communicators and leaders in their own rights. 
It was designed to be The African prize with a lot of artistic features symbolising the Soyinka personae, as a distinguished intellectual, a conscientious and sensitive writer, a lover of the arts and humanities and a stickler for excellence, good governance, equity and justice.

Peculiar features attached to the prize ceremony:

The peculiar features of the Soyinka prize award is the festival attached to it. The following events will feature in the festival: 
The Soyinka Prize award ceremony will commence with The Soyinka Festival which celebrates African writers and their works. It is a three day festival of arts comprising:
i Book exhibitions by African publishers who are duly registered for the event. 
Ii Book fair and Book carnival
iii Theatrical performances (Drama, poetry recitation, book carnival, etc).
iv Lectures
v Book readings/Audience interaction with authors
vi School children, reading clubs
vii Art exhibitions etc.

Prize money/Prize status:

The Prize money is $20,000. (Twenty thousand US Dollars) 
The prize is awarded every other year. The maiden edition of this prize took place on August 5th, 2006 at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

The Prize Symbol

The matchet clears the wild, wild bush
The matchet weeds for planting to commence-
Should the rain fall in the season of anomy
The matchet grooms the land for seeds to grow, for our embrace in the wind
For the talking drums to call out our names in times of plenty, of harmony
But
If the harmattan lingers for long
And dust blocks the ears of demigods
If Ogun summons his own, the matchet goes to war
The matchet on which Kongi's words ride
Still,
The matchet may glisten
But until it speaks through the bleeding tongue of the pen
Shall its power be manifest!
Then
Tell me, of what use is the blade
If the ink does not flow
Yes
To right the wrongs of history…
–Ogochukwu Promise

 

Aims of the Prize

Among other goals the Lumina Foundation intends to achieve through the institution of this award are as follows:

To propagate the dynamics of self enhancement.

To celebrate excellence, patriotism, integrity, heroism, intellectualism and selfless service epitomized by the man, Wole Soyinka.

To generate excellent books (both in content and packaging) authored by Africans.

To foster global harmony through the provision of opportunities for appreciation of cross cultural perspectives.

In order to enter for this prize, Publishers should obtain the entry   from The Lumina website, fill it in triplicate. Submit two copies with six copies of the books and include  their  email address and phone numbers.

 

The Prize Rules

 

Any excellently written book by an African in any genre may qualify for this award.

The book to be submitted must have been published within two years preceding the year of the prize being sought for but not during the year of the prize being sought for.  

Nine copies of each eligible book should be submitted by the Publisher. Books can only be submitted by Publishers.

Only published works are eligible and can only be submitted in its published form.

For a book to be eligible, it must be written either in English or French.

The publisher must not submit more than three titles. This could be from either the same author or different authors.

The Publisher may submit either paperback or hard cover along with author's photo and resume.

Only African authors living in any part of the world are eligible for this prize. By African authors, we mean authors from African countries. We are adopting for the purpose of this prize, the geographical description of African countries and their boundaries. In other words, only citizens of African countries are considered eligible for this prize.

Books published anywhere in the world may qualify for this award provided that they are written by Africans.

Books that have won other awards are not eligible for this prize.

Books that have been short listed for other awards may be submitted for this prize.

The Foundation will begin to receive entries from August preceding the year of the next award. All entries must be received at The Lumina secretariat, before October 24, 2009. 
 

The short listed books will be reproduced by The Lumina Foundation  to make them more affordable and available.

  • Long list of entries to be released on April 1, 2010
  • Short list of entries to be announced on April 15, 2010
  • WS award night to take place on April 30, 2010.
  • All entries should be sent to The Lumina Foundation, No 3 St. Finbarrs College Road, (second Floor) Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.  

All general enquiries should be addressed to:
The Lumina Foundation
Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa
P.O. Box: 3165, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos. 

 

Diary of the Writer

Dear Diary,
I walked out on my Publisher this morning. He wasted so much of my time talking about how busy he was with all the solicited manuscripts on his table which he will soon publish as educational books. In spite of the fact that my manuscript has been with him for four years, he kept moaning over the risk he would take to publish my work. Poetry he said, is one thing that gives publishers like him nightmares because it is difficult to sell. I got the message and left. The pain of rejection is hard to bear, but I know I will get by. I believe I have the kind of patience that is elastic. I know I will never stop writing. I will never give up –though the temptation is there and can be overwhelming at times.

This week, I wrote two lovely poems. I feel a lot better. I attended ANA (Association of Nigerian Authors) meeting today. I felt at home among these graceful writers. Looking at them as they brim with hope, I was inspired by their zeal, their courage in spite of all the problems they face. It lifted my spirit.

Ndidi Adinnu

 

Diary of the Publisher

Dear Diary, 
let me share with you the problems and problems of Publishing in my country Nigeria:

Poor Economy: One of the major problems facing the book publishing in Nigeria is the economic depression in the country which has adversely affected every productive sector of the economy. This problem is so severe that it brought along with it other problems such as; the devaluation of the Naira, high foreign exchange rate, low income, low purchasing power, etc, which are all disadvantageous to book publishing.

Inadequacy of publishing facilities:  The publishing industry in Nigeria has battled with the crippling inadequacy of locally produced raw materials. Paper which is the most important raw material for publishing and which constitutes about 60% of production cost is hard to come by. Out of the three paper mills in the country, only Iwopu and Oku-Ibokun mills are capable of producing book quality paper. Jebba paper mill is designed to produce light industrial paper, including boards of different grammages. Iwopu paper mill which was designed to produce woodfree paper in order to supply book production requirements has consistently suffered under-capacity utilization and is shut down for most part of each year with the result that there is still no reliable local supply of long-fibre pulp or the bleaching agent necessary to make white paper. As for Oku Iboku which is meant to produce newsprint, basically for local use and also for export to other countries, it has remained a mirage.

Other printing facilities like printing ink, lithographic plate and photographic film are not being produced in Nigeria. This means that they have to be purchased with high foreign exchange. It is only binding adhesives that is currently produced in Nigeria from imported ingredients

Printing Infrastructures: In the face of rising expenses and reduced budgets, the emphasis of many publishers in the metropolitan countries has been on the adoption of technology that is cost-effective and time-saving. However, in Nigeria, where publishing budgets are even more restricted, this option hardly exists. New technologies in the book industry are very expensive. The importation of sophisticated machines cost a lot, this makes the overall printing cost of a book very high.

The Reading Culture: Nigerians have been identified by many scholars as people who do not have a healthy and encouraging reading culture. They tend to read mainly for utilitarian purposes. Because they hardly read for leisure, they hardly buy books except recommended textbooks. Most of the time, they merely photocopy. And this does not encourage publishing.

Illiteracy: Illiteracy is still prevalent in Africa. Book publishing can hardly thrive in a predominantly illiterate society.

Poverty: The buying power of majority of Nigerians, even for very vital commodities of life and living, is very low. This is due to their low income and the economic recession in the country.

Misplaced priority: Unfortunately most of the high income earners or the wealthy in the society prefer to live flamboyantly to buying and reading books even though they might be aware that reading is likely to improve their minds more than a wardrobe of colours and a garage of exotic cars. Our society prefers sensation to knowledge acquisition. It is an orientation that needs to be redressed.

Low Turnover: When few people buy books, the turnover will be quite low and slow.

Short Print-runs: The Publisher only has to look at the poor returns he has made from the sales of his books to know that he cannot indulge in large print-runs.

High Production cost: The production cost of a book involves the entire expenses incurred in the course of producing the book. If one has to import nearly every material for publishing, the production cost of each book will definitely be high. Some expenses however remain constant (fixed) irrespective of the quality of the books produced. This is why it is cheaper to have large print-runs to maximize the benefits of the fixed expenditure.

Dear Diary, you must be tired by now, aren’t you? Well I need to catch my breath too. It’s pretty hot in here.
 – Oracle books LTD

 

Diary of the Bookseller

 

Dear Diary,
All I can tell you at the moment is that it is easier for a camel to enter through the needle eye than to sell books in Nigeria. Do you want to know why? Let’s meet here again soon.
– Roller Bookshop

 

More Background On The Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize

 

The Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is one of the continent’s most respected literary honors, awarded to outstanding works created by African writers. The website luminafoundationsoyinkaprize.com serves as the official portal for information about this prize, its history, administration, goals, festival activities, and the cultural meaning attached to it. It is positioned as a major pan-African literary institution that both celebrates and elevates African voices in fiction, poetry, drama, and other genres.

This article provides a detailed overview of the website and the prestigious prize it supports, covering ownership, location, popularity, audience, cultural significance, press coverage, history, goals, examples, and the broader ecosystem of African literature.

Ownership & Administration

The Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is administered by the Lumina Foundation based in Lagos, Nigeria. This institution is distinct from the U.S.-based Lumina Foundation that focuses on education; the Nigerian Lumina Foundation is dedicated to literature, culture, intellectual scholarship, and various creative initiatives.

The prize is named in honor of Wole Soyinka, the distinguished Nigerian playwright, poet, essayist, and Africa’s first Nobel Prize laureate in Literature (1986). His name brings global recognition and cultural weight to the award, giving the prize a level of symbolic prestige unmatched by most literary competitions on the continent.

The foundation oversees the prize rules, jury selection, publication subsidies, festival components, and strategic direction of the prize. It also curates essays, publishing diaries, and commentary on the African literary landscape.

Location & Proximity

The administration of the prize is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. The physical secretariat is based in the Yaba/Akoka axis of Lagos, a bustling, academically inclined district known for its proximity to the University of Lagos and a vibrant creative community.

Award ceremonies have historically been held at major Lagos cultural venues such as the Muson Centre, a prestigious performance and arts complex known for high-profile events, concerts, and literary gatherings.

The Lagos location is strategic because the city remains one of Africa’s most influential centers for publishing, arts, media, and intellectual activity.

History of the Prize

Founding

The prize was founded in 2005 and the inaugural award ceremony was held in 2006. It was created to showcase outstanding African writing while promoting intellectual excellence, integrity, patriotism, and cultural enrichment—the values often associated with Wole Soyinka’s life and literary works.

Past Winners

Although the prize is biennial, its winners reflect a broad range of African voices:

  • 2006: Sefi Atta for Everything Good Will Come

  • 2008: Nnedi Okorafor for Zahrah the Windseeker

  • 2010: Joint winners Kopano Matlwa (Coconut) and Wale Okediran (Tenants of the House)

  • 2012: Sifiso Mzobe for Young Blood

  • 2014: Akin Bello for The Egbon of Lagos

  • 2018: Joint winners Tanure Ojaide (Songs of Myself) and Harriet Anena (A Nation in Labour)

These winners are from Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and other parts of the continent, demonstrating the prize’s true pan-African reach.

Recent Activity

Though the most recently confirmed award cycle was in 2018, the prize continues to maintain relevance within the African literary ecosystem. Its website documents its aims, rules, and festival programming, keeping the institutional memory alive and sustaining interest among authors and publishers.

Goals of the Prize

The Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize aims to:

  1. Celebrate Literary Excellence
    It honors exceptional African writing across a broad range of genres, highlighting innovation, artistry, and cultural depth.

  2. Promote Reading Culture in Africa
    The foundation uses the prize and its festival to cultivate reading habits, particularly among the youth.

  3. Support Publishing & Distribution
    One of the unique features of the prize is its commitment to subsidizing the publication of shortlisted works, thereby increasing access to literature that might otherwise remain obscure.

  4. Encourage Cross-Cultural Exchange
    The prize operates across the continent, encouraging interaction between francophone, anglophone, and other African literary traditions.

  5. Uphold Cultural Values Associated with Soyinka
    These include intellectualism, bravery, social consciousness, and advocacy for truth.

Website Structure & Menus

The website luminafoundationsoyinkaprize.com is structured with clarity and purpose. Its core sections typically include:

About the Prize

Explains the foundation, the prize history, eligibility criteria, and general mission.

Aims of the Prize

Outlines intellectual, cultural, and educational goals.

Prize Rules

Covers submission eligibility, language requirements, publisher responsibilities, and publication criteria.

Prize Jury

Provides information on the judging panel and its selection.

Diary or Editorial Essays

A special feature where the foundation publishes commentary about African publishing challenges, printing costs, literary culture, and societal issues influencing reading and writing.

Festival Overview

Information on the Soyinka Festival, a three-day cultural event featuring:

  • Book fairs

  • Drama and poetry performances

  • Children’s reading clubs

  • Author readings

  • Art exhibitions

  • Cultural carnivals

Contact Section

Provides the physical address, email, and secretariat information.

Audience & Popularity

The prize’s audience includes:

  • African authors across the continent and diaspora

  • Publishers (especially small and independent presses)

  • Literary critics, academics, and scholars

  • Students and young readers

  • Cultural institutions and arts organizations

  • Libraries, reading clubs, and book festivals

Popularity

The Wole Soyinka Prize is widely recognized in literary circles as one of Africa’s highest honors. It is frequently featured in literary encyclopedias, referenced by academics, and reported by African and international news outlets.

It is commonly compared with:

  • The Caine Prize for African Writing

  • The NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature

  • The Etisalat Prize for Literature (now defunct)

However, unlike these prizes, the Soyinka Prize has a broad genre mandate and stands out for its pan-African focus.

Cultural & Social Significance

Honoring a Cultural Icon

Wole Soyinka’s influence on African literature is enormous, and a prize bearing his name carries symbolic importance. The website reinforces this cultural identity by showcasing his legacy and presenting the prize as a means of nurturing Africa’s literary future.

Boosting Continental Unity

By welcoming entries from all African countries, the prize transcends national boundaries, language divisions, and regional literary traditions.

Strengthening the Publishing Ecosystem

Through publication subsidies and festival programming, the prize helps counter several systemic challenges in African publishing:

  • high printing costs

  • limited distribution networks

  • low circulation volumes

  • inconsistent funding

  • weak reading culture across certain regions

The website’s inclusion of essays about these issues highlights a deep understanding of the ecosystem it operates within.

Examples of Impact

Career Boosts

Winners of the prize, such as Nnedi Okorafor and Sefi Atta, went on to achieve international acclaim. Their wins are often referenced in academic studies, conferences, and media articles as career milestones.

Festival Engagement

During festival celebrations, schools often participate in reading clubs, theatre performances, and cultural activities. These events foster early exposure to literature and creativity among young Africans.

Promotion of African Publishing

By subsidizing shortlisted works, the prize ensures increased visibility, availability, and affordability of African books.

Press & Media Coverage

The prize has been covered by:

  • Major Nigerian newspapers

  • African arts and culture blogs

  • Literary review platforms

  • Academic journals

  • Global literary commentators

Its winners are frequently profiled by universities, cultural commentators, and international book communities, enhancing the cultural presence of African authors worldwide.

Academic publications have discussed the prize’s significance, its symbolism, and its challenges within Africa’s publishing sector.

Challenges & Limitations

Inconsistent Award Cycles

The irregular timing of some recent editions may reduce momentum and visibility.

Financial Demands

Maintaining a prize of this scale requires stable long-term funding. Cash awards, festival logistics, and publication subsidies all require significant financial investment.

Publishing Infrastructure Constraints

While the prize aims to improve access to African literature, it must operate within a broader publishing environment facing material and structural challenges.

Future Prospects

With strategic digital engagement, consistent scheduling, and improved distribution partnerships, the Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize could expand its global footprint. Its brand strength, cultural weight, and historical prestige position it well for future growth.

 

The Lumina Foundation Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is one of the continent’s most respected intellectual and cultural institutions. The website luminafoundationsoyinkaprize.com provides a central hub for understanding the prize’s mission, history, rules, cultural significance, and contribution to African literature.

Through its commitment to celebrating outstanding African writing, supporting publishing, and championing a pan-African literary identity, the prize plays a crucial role in promoting African creativity and cultural expression.

Despite challenges in infrastructure and award regularity, the prize remains deeply influential. Its history, winners, and festival activities collectively reinforce its importance as both a cultural beacon and a celebration of African literary excellence.

LuminaFoundationSoyinkaPrize.com