Caine Prize for African Writing
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2001) Winner
Helon Habila Ngalabak
ヘロン・ハビラ・ンガラバック
Heron Habira Ngarabakku
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1967-11-01 （Kaltungo, Gombe State, Nigeria）
- Nationality
- Nigerian
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Kaltungo, Gombe State, Nigeria → Lagos, Nigeria → East Anglia / Norwich, England (Chevening Scholar) → Fairfax, Virginia, USA → Berlin, Germany (DAAD fellowship period)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Poet, Journalist, Editor, Creative Writing Professor
- Active Years
- 1995-
- Affiliations
- George Mason University (creative writing professor), African Writers Trust (advisory board), Cordite Books (co-founder)
- Influenced By
- Chinua Achebe (influenced by / invited him)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Jos | — | English Language and Literature | — | — | Nigeria |
| University of East Anglia | — | — | — | Chevening Scholar（2002頃） | United Kingdom |
University of Jos
English Language and Literature
Country:
Nigeria
Studied English Language and Literature
University of East Anglia
Period:
Chevening Scholar（2002頃）
Country:
United Kingdom
Chevening Scholar (creative writing / fellowship period)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Music Society of Nigeria national poetry award | Another Age (poem) | — | Music Society of Nigeria | winner |
| 2001 | Caine Prize | "Love Poems" (short story, from Prison Stories) | — | The Caine Prize for African Writing | winner |
| 2003 | Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa Region, Best First Book) | Waiting for an Angel | Africa Region, Best First Book | Commonwealth Writers' Prize | winner |
| 2007 | Emily Clark Balch Prize (short story) | The Hotel Malogo (short story) | — | Virginia Quarterly Review | winner |
| 2008 | Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction | Measuring Time | — | Library of Virginia | winner |
| 2015 | Windham–Campbell Literature Prize (Fiction) | — | Fiction | Windham–Campbell Literature Prize | winner |
| 2019 | Grand Prix of Literary Associations | Travelers | — | GPLA | shortlisted |
| 2020 | James Tait Black Memorial Prize | Travelers | — | James Tait Black Memorial Prize | shortlisted |
| 2011 | PEN/Open Book Award | Oil on Water | — | PEN America | shortlisted |
| 2012 | Orion Book Award | Oil on Water | — | Orion Magazine | shortlisted |
Music Society of Nigeria national poetry award
2000
Work:
Another Age (poem)
Organization:
Music Society of Nigeria
Result:
winner
Caine Prize
2001
Work:
"Love Poems" (short story, from Prison Stories)
Organization:
The Caine Prize for African Writing
Result:
winner
Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa Region, Best First Book)
2003
Work:
Waiting for an Angel
Category:
Africa Region, Best First Book
Organization:
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Result:
winner
Emily Clark Balch Prize (short story)
2007
Work:
The Hotel Malogo (short story)
Organization:
Virginia Quarterly Review
Result:
winner
Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction
2008
Work:
Measuring Time
Organization:
Library of Virginia
Result:
winner
Windham–Campbell Literature Prize (Fiction)
2015
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
Windham–Campbell Literature Prize
Result:
winner
Grand Prix of Literary Associations
2019
Work:
Travelers
Organization:
GPLA
Result:
shortlisted
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
2020
Work:
Travelers
Organization:
James Tait Black Memorial Prize
Result:
shortlisted
PEN/Open Book Award
2011
Work:
Oil on Water
Organization:
PEN America
Result:
shortlisted
Orion Book Award
2012
Work:
Oil on Water
Organization:
Orion Magazine
Result:
shortlisted
Awards & Nominations
The Donald Windham Sandy M. Campbell Literature Prizes
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (2015) Winner
Works
Major Works
Prison Stories
2000 Short story collectionA debut collection of short stories dealing with imprisonment and social repression.
oppressionprisonpolitics
Waiting for an Angel
2002 NovelA novel set against military dictatorship in Nigeria, addressing political struggle; acclaimed as his first major novel.
dictatorshipresistancefreedom of expression
Measuring Time
2007 NovelA multi-generational story exploring personal and national histories; it received critical acclaim and award nominations.
memoryhistoryfamily
Oil on Water
2010 NovelA novel about environmental pollution and violence in Nigeria's oil-rich Delta region, noted for its cinematic and vivid prose.
environmental degradationoil exploitationviolence
The Granta Book of the African Short Story (editor)
2011 Anthology (editor)An anthology compiling contemporary African short fiction, showcasing his editorial role.
African literatureshort stories
The Chibok Girls
2016 Non-fiction / ReportageA reportage-style non-fiction work about the abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria and its aftermath.
terrorismsocial issueshuman rights
Travelers
2019 NovelA novel exploring migration and global dislocation through interconnected travelers; shortlisted for multiple prizes.
migrationjourneyidentity
Bibliography
- Prison Stories (2000)
- Waiting for an Angel (2002)
- New Writing 14 (editor/co-editor, 2006)
- Measuring Time (2007)
- Dreams, Miracles, and Jazz (editor/co-editor, 2007)
- Oil on Water (2010)
- The Granta Book of the African Short Story (editor, 2011)
- The Chibok Girls (2016)
- Travelers (2019)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realist, cinematic proseSocially and politically engaged narrationElements of reportage blended into fiction
- Recurring Motifs
- oppression and resistancemigration and exileenvironmental degradation (oil)
Legacy
A Nigerian writer internationally recognized for works addressing political and social issues. He has contributed as an educator and editor, promoting African literature and supporting emerging writers.
Quotes
-
"Writing is always a political act."
Source: Interview — Electric Literature (2019) (2019)
Trivia
- Was a Chevening Scholar at the University of East Anglia.
- Invited by Chinua Achebe to become the first Chinua Achebe Fellow at Bard College.
- Co-founded Cordite Books, a publishing initiative focused on crime fiction in Africa.