The Burnt Stories community and the inaugural Dele-Balogun Prize for Flash Fiction have announced Ideba Edu Ele as the first prize winner of the competition. Ele’s story, Merciful God, was selected from a remarkable field of 1,565 submissions to claim the top honour.

The prize, founded by Toheeb Dele-Balogun, founder of The Burnt Stories Project and co-founder of The hook, creative advertising agency, was established to celebrate and elevate the art of concise, powerful storytelling within Nigeria and beyond.

A Rigorous, Transparent Journey
The path to selecting a winner was defined by integrity, community, and a deep respect for the craft. Upon closing entries, each of the 1,565 stories was read at least twice by the judging committee.

A transparent, criteria-based system was employed, evaluating each submission on four key pillars: stopping power, originality, suspense, and vivid description.

Stories were then categorised: Green (met all criteria), Amber (met some), and White (did not align). The longlist of 30 exceptional stories was drawn exclusively from the Green category. This longlist was then presented to the engaged Burnt Stories community— a collective of writers, artists, readers, and creatives—whose ratings and reviews informed the selection of a final shortlist of six outstanding works.

“The community’s perspective was invaluable, but the final artistic judgment rested with the committee,” said a prize spokesperson. “This hybrid model ensured the winner was chosen on pure merit, not popularity, while honoring the voices of our dedicated community.”

The six shortlisted stories included Fruitless by Faith Ezimadu; Pending Update by Toluwani Oladokun; Black Rain by Baba Ajanaku; Make a Wish by John Blossom; Blood Bound by Ann Ujah; and Merciful God by Ideba Edu Ele (Winner).

From this esteemed shortlist, the committee unanimously selected “Merciful God” for its profound impact, originality, and exemplary execution of the prize’s core criteria.

The prize extends its heartfelt congratulations to every writer who dared to put pen to paper. “You have already won simply by creating something that would not exist if you had not brought it into the world,” read the initial message to all entrants—a principle that guided the entire process.

To ensure the prize’s impact endures beyond the announcement, two key initiatives will follow:
Publication of The Loooonglist: An anthology featuring every story that met the judging criteria (the Green stories) will be released, preserving the remarkable breadth of talent discovered.

A Feedback Webinar: In lieu of individual feedback, which the volume of entries made impossible, the committee will host a dedicated webinar using selected submissions as case studies. This session aims to provide constructive insights for all writers to learn and grow together.

Founded by Toheeb Dele-Balogun, the prize seeks to identify, celebrate, and nurture exceptional flash fiction talent. It operates on a foundation of transparency, community, and an unwavering commitment to literary merit.

The prize is administered through the Burnt Stories community, a vibrant platform for storytellers across disciplines.