2021 Quramo Writers' Prize Winner Unveiled

  

2021's edition of Quramo Publishing Ltd's literary and arts festival, Quramo Festival of Words (Qfest) took place at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, abiding strictly  to the Covid safety protocol. 

A three day event, it began on the 1st of October and ended on the 3rd. Each day of Qfest was filled  with activities and attended by literary intellectuals-writers, poets, academics and artistes.

Qfest , which evolved from the publishing house's annual  writing competition- the Quramo Writers' Prize-is the braichild of the company's Executive Publisher/CEO; Mrs Gbemisola Shasore. This year's theme was Transcendence: Words Defying. 

Mrs Gbemisola Shasore

The first day began with a Creative Writing Workshop, facilitated by Eghosa Imasuen and award winning writer, playwright and poet, Jude Idada; and a Master Class on 'The  Fine Art of Non Creative Writing', facilitated by Tahirah Sagaya. Other events that day included three panels, a Spoken Word challenge and ended with the  screening of three short films: 'Omugwo', 'Bride Untangled' and 'Oko Kwe Akweke'.

Guest Speaker, Professor Ahmed Yerima

             

Mrs Gbemi Shasore presenting the Spoken Word first prize to Miss Clementine for her poem, 'The Solutionist'

Among the events during Qfest Day 2 was the presentation of Alex Kadiri's (Quramo Writer's Prize 2020 winner) book, 'Sunshower' and a  book chat with the author and the moderator, Innocent Ike; and an author's chat with C. M Okonkwo and

 

                     

Author of SUNSHOWER, Alex Kadiri and Innocent Ike

author Abubakar Adam Ibrahim on his book, 'Dreams and Assorted Nightmares', with the day rounding off with the stage presentation of Jude Idada's two-man  play, 'The Movement'; about the 2020  'End Sars' protest and the societal truths people try to cover up for selfish gains. 

2021 QWP Winner, Akinnimi Akintomiwa Oluwaseun, receiving his prize from Quramo Publishing Ltd CEO/Executive Publisher, Mrs Gbemi Shasore

The main event, the Quramo Writers' Prize, took place on the final day of the festival. Emerging this year's winner from the top 5 finalists was Akinnimi Akintomiwa Oluwaseun for his entry, 'Looking Glass Bullet', a story about a wealthy man whose perfect life but bitter outlook changes after an assassination attempt on his life. Presented by Mrs Shasore, the winner was all smiles as he received his cheque and plaque to a thunderous round of applause from the audience. As the winning entry, 'Looking Glass Bullet' is expected to be published by Quramo Publishing Ltd and launched in Qfest 2022 next year. 

Congratulations to this year's QWP Winner and to Quramo Publishing for yet another successful Qfest.