No Nigerian writer was longlisted for 2020 Booker Prize for Fiction, but a Zimbabwean and an American-Ethiopian made the cut.
While Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe) was longlisted for her “This Mournable Body”, Maaza Mengiste (Ethiopia/USA) was longlisted for her critically-acclaimed “The Shadow King”.
Eleven other books were chosen out of 162 to make the longlist.
Each of the books carries an impact that has earned it a place on the longlist, deserving of wide readership, the prize’s lead judge, Magaret Busby, said while unveiling the longlist on Facebook Live.
According to her, a shortlist of six books will be announced on Tuesday, September 15, and the winner announced in November.
Busby said the eventual winner will receive £50 thousand, while each of the writers shortlisted will receive £2,500.
Nigerian-British author, Bernardine Evaristo, jointly won the 2019 edition with Margret Atwood with her “Girl, Woman, Other”.
Other Nigerian writers like Chigozie Obioma and Oyinkan Braithwaithe have previously been longlisted and shortlisted for the prize.
Two iconic Nigerian writers, Chinua Achebe and Ben Okri have also previously won the prize.
