Monye, Arshiya emerge Quramo prize winners

Samuel Monye, a short stories’ writer, novelist and spoken words poet from Delta State and Arshiya, an Indian national, who has lived in the country for two years, have emerged winners of senior and junior categories of Quramo Writers’ Prize 2017.

Executive Publisher, Quramo Publishing, Mrs. Gbemi Shasore, while speaking at the Prize’s unveiling in Lagos, said the quest to improve literacy among the people made her outfit to organise the contest.

Shasore said that to encourage young talents, the publishing company focuses on their writing and reading abilities, adding, however, that through the contest, they will be able to find hidden talents and encourage new writers.

Pointing out that writing is not only for professionals, Shasore said that Quramo is out to help the writers discover and sell their talents. Monye won N1 million cash gift for the senior category while Ashyer got N500,000 gift for the junior category.

According to the executive publisher, the company invited independent judges who were not affiliated to it in any way. She noted that the criteria for judging the contestants’ works were based on originality of the stories, language and presentation.

Stressing that no nation can be successful without improving literacy, Mrs. Shasore added that Quramo intends to take the writer’s award nationwide. Monye, a graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, won with his work, Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread. His work is a topical issue that borders on the migrants’ perilous journey through the Sahara Desert to Libya.

Also Arshiya, whose story, The Forgotten, won the junior category, enjoys reading and creative writing and is fascinated by mysteries.Chief judge of the contest, Mrs. Aduke Gomez, said that hundreds of entries were handed over to the judges anonymously and their works were all judged without favouritism.

The judges unanimously agreed on both winners based on the quality of their writings, Gomez said. While stating that only the original works of the contestants were selected, the lady noted that she was happy to see that Nigeria has talented writers.