NLNG Prize and the winds of change

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, sponsors of the $50,000 NLNG Prize for Literature, came off its high horse on Wednesday, February 5 to meet with writers - after almost four months of seeming apathy to criticisms that trailed the 2009 edition of the prize.

The company and the Literature Committee which administers the prize on its behalf were condemned by writers for the fiasco that the competition became when none of the 161 entries was deemed worthy of the prize. The fact that the Managing Director of the NLNG, Chima Ibeneche awarded the prize money to the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), further irked the literati.

The Literature Committee yielded grounds on two major points of contention: the residency condition which bars writers not resident in the country from entering their works; and non disclosure of the identity of judges - at the forum held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos. Nonetheless, it was obvious that the first dialogue since the 2004 inauguration of the prize, would not be enough to iron out all the grey areas. More regular meetings have to be held; the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) needs to become proactive and stop sucking up to sponsors, especially the NLNG. In addition, more initiatives to support literature and writers are needed.

Any progress?

Ifeanyi Mbanefo of the NLNG and Dan Izevbaye, professor of English and member of the Literature Committee, explained in their speeches that the purpose of the meeting was to examine the progress of the prize. Izevbaye, who briefed the writers on the journey so far, touched on the origin of the prize, the initial administrator (ANA) and how the Committee ended up with the task.

Izevbaye didn’t fail to address last year’s mess. “It doesn’t mean there are no good texts,” the scholar said in reference to the fact that no winner emerged. He reasoned that the NLNG Prize is higher in monetary value than the Booker Prize, “Therefore, the stakes must be raised higher because the world is watching.” (The Booker Prize, which comes with a £50,000 cash prize, is actually worth a lot more than the $50,000 NLNG Prize) Izevbaye stressed that he is currently teaching one of the nine long listed works. The fact that no writer won, he explained, “is not to dispirit competition but to make them aspire higher.”

Ayo Banjo, another member of the committee, intimated on the likely future shape of the prize. “The Literature Committee has not been insensitive to suggestions being made about its performance,” began the Emeritus professor of English. He disclosed the identity of the judges for the 2010 prize to be awarded for drama: Dapo Adelugba, Kalu Uka, John Ila, Mary Kolawole and Tanimu Abubakar. Banjo also announced the lifting of the controversial embargo on Nigerian writers based abroad.

Their own masters

Though the committee had already shifted ground, ANA President, Jerry Agada, gave a somewhat troubling indication of the body’s stance during the dialogue that followed. He asserted that NLNG is one of many organisations that has openly supported Nigerian literature and wondered why it was being criticised. “We shouldn’t insist that they must do things ANA’s way, they are not appendages of ANA, they should do their own stuff,” he told writers. Agada said in defence of the Literature Committee, “Would you import people from the sky? They know what they are doing.” He sought better collaboration between ANA and the Literature Committee, saying, “NLNG should partner with ANA and other literary organisations so all of us can work together for the betterment of Nigerian literature. The criticisms would make you better but do not ignore the partnership with ANA and other literary organisations.”

Emman Shehu remarked that the gathering was not inclusive enough. He said it should have involved publishers and booksellers. He added that the NLNG could help the cause of Nigerian literature further by convincing other corporate organisations to join in its effort by also investing in Literature.

Not for sale

Musa Idris Okpanachi, one of the long-listed writers for last year’s prize, bluntly told the Committee, “Literature is not for sale. If you feel the money is too much, cut it down.” Chike Ofili remarked that the tenure of judges should be limited and wondered why the panel comprised only academics. He said the NLNG could reduce the prize money to $30,000 and use the rest to “make infrastructure available for the kind of literature you are expecting.” Pamela Udoka however expressed gratitude to the “NLNG for removing the masks from the judges.”

Judges and infrastructure

In response to Okpanachi and Ofili, Izevbaye disclosed that the tenure of judges is a year; that they would be appointed on the basis of the genre being competed for. “The committee doesn’t think the prize money is too high. You have to see the prize in an international context, this prize is like the Booker Prize,” he said.

Mary Kolawole, a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, weighed in on the issue of judging. She said that writers should see judges as partners in progress and not enemies. The academic who has served on the panel of the Commonwealth Literature Prize, told the writers, “We are not just there to put the hammer on you, we appreciate writers, we are not out to discourage you.” She called for understanding and cooperation from writers.

Another writer, Mobolaji Adenubi, appealed to the judges: “Let us know what your standards are, we won’t argue but it’s important that we know what the judges want.” She added that NLNG should also provide infrastructure to develop writing. “NLNG is trying to harvest where it hasn’t sown; you have to prepare the writers.” Moses Idowu and Abimbola Adelakun reiterated Adenubi’s call for the provision of infrastructure but Toyin Akinosho felt it is not a task for the NLNG alone. “Every one of us has to do something in our own little way,” he stressed.

Ben Tomoloju noted that Arts Editors who gave people space to criticise both the NLNG and the Literature Committee over the 2009 debacle shouldn’t have done so. He would rather journalists, “return to the nitty gritty. Let’s support a good cause. If the expression of a cause or the process of attaining that cause is a bit paradoxical, let us put it along the line of focus so that at the end of the day, Nigerian literature can be the richer for it.”

Izevbaye also expressed reservations about some published comments about the gas company. “NLNG didn’t have to give a prize for literature, it’s a gas company. I think it’s uncivil for journalists to start abusing NLNG, it is not obliged to spend its money on literature...It is extremely embarrassing to me personally that we should abuse NLNG. NLNG owes us nothing, owes me nothing, it is not the only oil company in Nigeria.” On the fate of the prize money awarded to NAL, Izevbaye said, “NAL doesn’t need the money to survive. We have endowments from elsewhere. When NAL meets, it would deliberate on how to spend the money.”

However, some writers like Jumoke Verissimo countered that the NLNG is doing writers no favours by fulfilling a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with its prize. Despite the criticisms, Mbanefo assured of the NLNG’s continued support for literature.

Performances by the Ijodee Dance Troupe, poetry readings by Akeem Lasisi and Jumoke Verissimo and the cutting of a birthday cake for Zaynab Alkali, a member of the literature committee interspersed the meeting, anchored by Jahman Anikulapo, Editor, Guardian on Sunday.