#ETISALATPRIZE2014: ANGELIQUE KIDJO, WOLE SOYINKA, DAREY, NIKE OSHINOWO, KUNLE AFOLAYAN, MAI ATAFO, OTHERS STAND UP FOR ETISALAT PRIZE FOR LITERATURE WINNER, SONGEZIWE MAHLANGU (PHOTOS)

... As Angelique Kidjo, Wole Soyinka, Nike Oshinowo, Others Celebrate Winner. 

Lagos|Nigeria: South African author Songeziwe Mahlangu has been named winner of the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature competition. 

The Cape Town resident won the prize for his stunning debut novel 'Penumbra,' a dystopic story of the life of an underachieving young man suffering from mental illness in post-apartheid South Africa. 

In an action-packed finale at Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos, the 30 year-old writer was named as the winner ahead of fellow South African Nadia Davids and Nigerian Chinelo Okparanta.

The CEO of Etisalat, Mathew Willsher, awarded him the sum of £15,000 and an engraved MontBlanc pen. In addition Songeziwe will attend the prestigious Etisalat Fellowship at the University of East Anglia where he will be mentored by Professor Giles Foden. 

A visibly emotional Mahlangu thanked his publisher and his mother for giving him a platform and believing in him. When asked what he would use the money for, he commented, "I will use this money to support myself for the next two years while I keep on writing." 

The 3 final shortlisted books, Penumbra, Happiness like Water and An Imperfect Blessing were brought to life with pulsating re enactments directed by Ifeoma Fafunwa, one of the best directors in Nigeria with a string of successfully directed plays under her belt including the V- monologues. The re enactments were done by a crop of very talented Nigerian Actors led by OC Ukeje, Bimbo Manuel, Bimbo Akintola and a team of very fantastic new actors.

Angelique Kidjo later closed the show with breathtaking performances of her all time-hit songs including Wobolombo, Agolo, Eva, Mama Africa among other hits. She also featured the Winner of the Etisalat sponsored Nigerian Idol season 4 winner, Evelle who had earlier performed her hit song, Kilimanjaro.

Notable guests include renowned Nobel Prize for Literature winner, prof. Wole Soyinka, Hakeem Belo- Osagie, President of the Association of Nigerian Authors. Prof Remi Raji-Oyelade, poet and former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors, the Iyaoge of Lagos, Chief Opral Benson, Odia Ofeimun, Award winning actor, Kunle Afolayan, Nike Oshinowo, Darey Art Alade and Kelechi Amadi-Obi. 

Other guests include Reze Bonna, Sam Onyemelukwe, Tolu Ogunlesi, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Bantu, Hauwa Mokan, Kemi Lala among many others. 

Mahlangu now joins Zimbabwean NoViolet Bulawayo as the second winner of the annual pan African prize that promotes the work of published first time authors.

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GRAMMY AWARD WINNER ANGELIQUE KIDJO IN LAGOS FOR ETISALAT PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

2-time Grammy award winner, Angelique Kidjo arrived Lagos yesterday 14^th March 2015 ahead of her performance at the grand finale of the second edition of Etisalat Prize for Literature Today, Sunday, March 15^th 2015 at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.

Upon her arrival, the ‘Agolo’ and ‘Mobolombo’ hit maker went on a media tour in different radio stations in Lagos including Cool FM, Classic FM and Smooth FM. 

She will be one of the major centre of attraction at the award which will see one African among the three finalists shortlisted win a whopping sum of £15,000 and a high-end device, in addition to a book tour to three African cities.

 The three finalists, Songeziwe Mahlangu (South Africa), Chinelo Okparanta (Nigeria) and Nadia Davids (South Africa) also gave a review of their books at the recently held book reading and signing for Etisalat Prize for Literature competition. 

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ANGELIQUE KIDJO WINS HER SECOND GRAMMY

The new year has been off to a great start for world-renowned singer, songwriter and activist, Angelique Kidjo. Ms. Kidjo who first won a Grammy back in 2008 for her eighth studio album ‘Djin Djin’ which included a star-studded list of guest artists ranging from Branford Marsalis, Ziggy Marley, Alicia Keys, Carlos Santana to Peter Gabriel, won the 2015 Crystal Award in a ceremony opening the 45th annual meeting of the World Economic Forumin Davos, Switzerland on January 21st.

Along with two other exceptional artists, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, Ms. Kidjo who was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2002, received the Crystal Awards for “not only being world famous artists but also concerned with humanitarian issues and committed to using their time and energy to make a difference,” said Hilde Schwab, Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Entrepreneurship. “I want to dedicate this crystal award to the women of my continent. They are the backbone of Africa. I cannot be who I am without them. To all the women of the world, what you do is priceless; it is not a matter of color, of language, of nationality,” said Ms. Kidjo receiving the 2015 Crystal Award.

Continuing with her winning streak, last night at the 57th annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, the revered musician who was born in Cotonou, Benin, won her second Grammy for her 2014 album ‘EVE’ in the ‘World Music’ category that included Brazilian bossa nova legend Sergio Mendes and sitar player and composer, Anoushka Shankar. Receiving her Grammy award during a pre-telecast ceremony, Ms. Kidjo the first woman to be listed on FORBES’ 40 Most Powerful Celebrities In Africa, said, “this album is dedicated to the women of Africa, to their beauty and resilience. Women of Africa, you rock! For me, music is a weapon of peace and today more than ever, as artists we have a role to play in the stability of this world.”




Source: Forbes

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