ANA congratulates Obari Gomba, winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2023
The National Secretariat of The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has extended its heartfelt happiness and celebrates with Dr. Obari Gomba for winning the 2023 Nigeria LNG-sponsored The Nigeria Prize for Literature in the drama category with his play, Grit.
By this achievement, Gomba has broken the glass ceiling this year to join the list of Nigeria’s most significant writers. One of the grittiest Nigerian writers in contemporary times, Gomba fired four shots at the prize before winning it at the fifth time this year. Readers will also be pleased to know that Gomba burst unto the international literary scene with his ‘Lilt of the Rebel’ poetry collection that won him the 2022 Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) Poetry Prize. In fact, Gomba had already well and truly served his craftsmanship with a series of awards.
He is a recipient of Rivers ANA Distinguished Writer Award, Halogen Award for Poetry, and Kangaroo Poetry Festival Poet of 2018. He is a two-time winner of both the Best Literary Artiste Award and the First Prize for Drama of the English Association of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His works include ‘Guerrilla Post’ (winner of ANA Drama Prize 2018/shortlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2018), ‘For Every Homeland’ (winner of ANA Poetry Prize 2017/shortlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2017), ‘Thunder Protocol’ (winner of ANA Poetry Prize 2016), ‘Length of Eyes’ (shortlisted for ANA Poetry Prize in 2013 /shortlisted for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2013), and ‘Pearls of the Mangrove’ (adopted as a ‘Book of the Festival’ for the 2011 Garden City Literary Festival and the 2019 Festival Poetry Calabar).
According to General Secretary, Maik Ortserga, “ANA President, Mr. Camillus Ukah, in a statement of congratulations this morning, Saturday, November 14, 2023 said “Obari Gomba is certainly not at the peak of his career as a writer yet, but he is already in a class of his own. I therefore congratulate the fine gentleman for the much-deserved honour of being named this year’s winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature. I admire his efforts and pray that he gets more wins in the days ahead as he continues to make ANA proud. We are, indeed, happy to identify with Dr Gomba in his moment of joy.”
Winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Dr. Obari Gomba, with his winning work, Grit
