TEAMBOOKTU CHALLENGES

From the outset, Teambooktu has been keenly involved in discovering and promoting African creative arts, especially amongst the youth and upcoming talents. Since 2023, we have embarked on challenges in various fields of the arts as showcased on our website. Namely, literary arts, visual arts, film & stage, and comics.

Here are details of the year-on-year competitions we have handled so far.

2023

SHORT STORY CHALLENGE #1

Held from September 2023 to November 2023

Our first challenge was an open-theme Short Story Challenge. A national competition open to all Teambooktu followers and subscribers, with cash prizes and autographed novels for winners.

Our Guest Judges:-

• ROTIMI BABATUNDE – 2012 winner of the prestigious AKO Caine Prize for Literature. Received fellowships from Ledig House, New York, and The MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire, among others. He has participated in International Playwriting residency at the Royal Court Theatre, London, and is a 2005 Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation guarantee. His play, The Bonfire of the Innocents, commissioned by Riksteatern (Sweden’s National Theatre), was on tour in translation across Sweden. Rotimi Babatunde lives and works in Nigeria.

• LINDA TEMIENOR-VINCENT holds a B.A. in English and Literature Education and an M.A. in International Relations from two Nigerian universities. Linda also received a diploma in Screenwriting from the New York Film Academy in 2019. She won the 2021 Global Voices Scholarship for Prose Fiction and completed an MA in Creative Writing, achieving a distinction at the University of East Anglia, where she also served as a panellist at the first Lee Child academic symposium. She won the 2023 Spotlight First Novel Award and the 2023 Bath Novel Awards Longlist Prize. Her first published book is Mouth Hung Open. Linda lives in Lagos and Norwich.

• FOLU AGOI, President of the Nigerian Centre of PEN International (aka PEN Nigeria), erstwhile Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Lagos Branch, winner of BBC Poetry Competition (2001), the Prof Wole Soyinka Award for Literature (2007), and SWANA (South West ANA) 2020 Poetry Competition, among others.   Folu is a creative (and academic) writer, poet, critic, literary activist, editor, publisher, and a University lecturer in English.

• CHARLES OPARA is an IT programmer, short story writer and speculative fiction novelist who enjoys the flow involved in creating both programs and stories. In 2015, his horror short “It Happened” was shortlisted for the Awele Creative Trust Prize, and in 2017, another story ‘Baby-girl’ was long-listed for the Quramo National Prize in his country. His short stories have been published in magazines such as Flash Fiction Press, Zoetic Press, and Ambit Magazine. His collection of short stories, How Hamisu Survived Bad Kidneys and a Bad Son-in-law, is published by Fomite Press.

Submissions:-

With persistent promotions on our social media platforms, we received 62 entries nationwide. They were screened for AI generation and plagiarism before review. Here is the 15-story long list:-

This was eventually whittled down to a Shortlist of 6. Remarkably, all short-listers were women!

Final Results:-

• Wrong Timing (Naomi Kalu a.k.a. Hudiyah) 1ST PRIZE WINNER
• Iji (Thunderstorm) (Dejah Feyi) 2ND
• Nwakaego (Isidinma Nnamdi) 3RD
• On a Dark Night  (Nwafor Chidiogor) 4TH
• The Two Strangers (Pamela Erhiakeme) 5TH
• The Guest (Favour Igwemoh) 6TH

All stories on the long list are published in our Short Stories section.

Testimonials

Congratulations to everyone brave enough to submit their work! It is a great feat! Thank you, Teambooktu, for giving a platform for this. – Ugomma Naomi Kalu (winner)

NATURE PHOTO CHALLENGE #1

Held from November 2023 to January 2024

Our second challenge was a Photo Challenge with pictures on Nature as the focus. Also a national competition open to all Teambooktu followers and subscribers, with cash prizes for the top 3 winners.

Our Guest Judges:-

• PAUL BRUINS – ‘Panorama Paul’ is a semi-retired South African professional photographer. As a boy, he never went far without some sort of camera. He has experimented with a large range of equipment and styles. His love for nature and the outdoors saw him move towards landscape photography as his niche, using multiple-image panoramas. He published a photo album of his large body of work called Memorable Moments.

• MATURE TANKO is a product of the ‘Nsukka School of Art’ (Umu-Uli) with a BA in Fine and Applied Arts and an MA in Art History (Honours). He has authored several books, one of which is Photography for Schools and Colleges (2015), which is being used in schools in Lagos and Abuja.

• OMOYENI AJANAKU has worked with various groups of adventurers from Backpackers Lagos to Irin Ajo, a tourist platform that organises activities in choice destinations and other related adventures. Yemi loves nature, adventure, and capturing great moments.

Submissions:-

We received over 30 entries nationwide in this top niche field of photography and narrowed them down to a Short list of 6:-

Final Results:-

• Riverine Reflections: Makoko Serenity (Tony Dolapo Oshiame) 1ST PRIZE WINNER
• Rebirth (Damilola Matthew Adekoya) 2ND
• This is my compound (Israel Bakare) 3RD
• Lekki Conservation Centre (Mary-Joan Nwaogu)  4TH
• Surviving Chaos (Nkasiobinnaya Mbonu) 5TH
• Nighttime in  Otokutu (Erumena Amata) 6TH

Photographs of all shortlisters are published in Nature Photochallenge Short Listers and honourable mentions in Nature Photochallenge Honours.

Testimonials

I am truly excited to be a part of this challenge and to contribute to the celebration of nature through my lens. Thank you for providing this platform for photographers to showcase their work & connect with fellow nature enthusiasts. – Tony Dolapo Oshiame (winner)

Thank you Teambooktu for this initiative and platform that recognizes and rewards young creatives. You’re the best!– Tony Dolapo Oshiame (winner)

I once again appreciate the opportunity and platform for me to showcase my work and being a part of the contest. It’s an honour. – Damilola Matthew Adekoya (2ND)

2024

KENE OFFOR-TEAMBOOKTU POETRY CHALLENGE #1

Held from December 2023 to February 2024

Our very first Pan-African (international) challenge was our third. In collaboration with a US-based art-lover, Kenechuckwu Offor, we hosted a Poetry Challenge with a total cash prize of $175 ($100 winner, $50 runner-up, $25 third place).

Our Guest Judges:-

• ROTIMI BABATUNDE (Caine Prize winner and judge in SS Challenge #1)

• OBARI GOMBA – 2023 NLNG Prize winner for Literature for his play Grit. Poet, playwright, writer, scholar, he holds a Ph.D. in English Literature. Gomba’s poems have been published in various journals. ANA Poetry Prize winner (2015) and Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry (2016).

• PEACE AKUBO – a UK-based author of several international peer-reviewed journals and books. She is a writer/poet who authored Perspective, Angels in Classroom, Poems to Inspire You, Growth Through Life’s Journey, No Time for Later, and the Goal Setter Workbook for young adults and professionals.

• TUNDE LAWAL-SOLARIN – Director of Lantern Books, Literamed Publications, and founder of the Book Swap Foundation. He is an award-winning writer, trained in filmmaking, web design, graphic design, and 3D animation. His language has been cultured through poetry, literature, and languages. His vision is to take learning into the future.

• CHARLES AKWEN – a poet, playwright, performer, photo(bio)grapher, literary/cultural critic, and lawyer, is the author of several books, among which are On this Land: Tattoos of Bulletholes (Poetry) and Across the Strait (Play). He is the founder of Transcultural Writers’ Network and African Association of Taiwan Studies. He currently lectures in the Department of English, University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria.

• KUNLE OKESIPE – Poet and prize-winning playwright. His poems have been published in acclaimed journals. Currently lectures on English Literature at Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria.

Submissions:-

Teambooktu received over 250 entries from 7 different African countries. After the usual checks, we arrived at a broad list of 60 poems then halved the number to determine the long list. A short-list of 10 poems was eventually released.

Final Results:-

• Chronicle of Missing Things (Adesiyan Oluwapelumi) 1ST PRIZE WINNER
• Homecoming (Mahbubat Salahudeen) 2ND
• An Ode to My Soul (Lilian Waithaka) 3RD
• Africa Unveiled (Aiah Gbakima) 4TH
• Anatomy of Death and Grief (Ruby Ann Akonugah) 5TH
• I AM (Stephanie Orukpe)
• Inferno (David Agyei-Yeboah)
• Here, Waiting for Nothingness (Favour Orlando)
• A World I can Call Mine (Muheez Olawale)
• Now Ponderers (Rebecca Ogunnaike)

All poems on the long list are published in our Poetry section.

Testimonials

This is such great news. Thank you so much for the honour. I am incredibly grateful and honoured. – Adesiyan Oluwapelumi (winner)

COMIC STRIP CHALLENGE #1 (Suspended)

Planned for June 2024 to July 2024

WEBCONNOISEUR CHALLENGE

To mark our first anniversary (June 5th), we promoted a Webconnoiseur Challenge as part of thanking all webcitizens for their dedication and support to the site and the arts. We offered a cash award and a Teambooktu Webconnoisseur t-shirt for the reader with the most consistent and engaging comments on the website.

Winner

• The prize went to Ekpensi Nwajesu- Webconnoisseur for Poetry

Testimonials

I’m so elated to be selected as your Web-Connoisseur for Poetry. Thank you so much for what you do. Thank you so much for all you represent, for being a home to young voices. This honour means a lot to me. I look forward to reading more wonderful works on your website, to promoting your works, and I will see to it that I invite my friends to do the same. Thank you.– Ekpenisi Nwajesu (winner)

KENE OFFOR-TEAMBOOKTU FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE #1

Held from December 2024 to February 2025

In our annual collaboration with a US-based art-enthusiast, Kenechuckwu Offor, we hosted the 2nd Kene Offor-Teambooktu Challenge. This time it was a Flash Fiction Challenge with a total cash prize of $175 ($100 winner, $50 runner-up, $25 third place) and branded T-shirts for all shortlisters. Sponsor was kind enough to donate another $25 each for our first two Webmasters*. They also got branded T-shirts.

Our Guest Judges:-

• TUNDE LAWAL-SOLARIN – Director of Lantern Books, Literamed Publications and founder of the Book Swap Foundation. He is an award-winning writer, trained in filmmaking, web design, graphic design, and 3D animation. His language has been cultured through poetry, literature, and languages. His vision is to take learning into the future.

• CHARLES OPARA is an IT programmer, short story writer and speculative fiction novelist who enjoys the flow involved in creating both programs and stories. In 2015, his horror short “It Happened” was shortlisted for the Awele Creative Trust Prize and in 2017, another story ‘Baby-girl’ was long-listed for the Quramo National Prize in his country. His short stories have been published in magazines such as Flash Fiction Press, Zoetic Press, and Ambit Magazine. His collection of short stories, How Hamisu Survived Bad Kidneys and a Bad Son-in-law, is published by Fomite Press.

• NDIDI CHIAZOR-ENENMOR is a versatile and prolific writer. Winner of ANA Prose Prize in 2022. Her book, A Father’s Pride, made the shortlist of 3 in The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2024. She has also written plays and biographies. Her best-selling teen fiction, A Hero’s Welcome, made the first shortlist of the Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2019. Her earlier book, One Little Mosquito, published in 2008 won the Association of Nigeria Authors Prize for Children’s Literature, in 2009.

Submissions:-

Teambooktu received 93 entries from different African countries. After the usual checks, we arrived at a long list of 10 stories, then a short-list of 4. Coincidentally, like the inaugural Short Story Challenge, all Flash Fiction short-listers are ladies too!

Final Results:-

• DYING TO LIVE (Sandra Chimezie) 1ST PRIZE WINNER
• DUNNI’S SONG (Vanessa George) 2ND
• DEATH SENTENCE (Firdausi Babasalati) 3RD
• Ethel’s Four Deaths (Pamela Erhiakeme) 4TH

All long-listed stories and honorable mentions are published in our Short Stories section.

Testimonials

Thanks so much for the opportunity– Sandra Chimezie (winner)

I’m a young lawyer, a mum, an avid reader and a writer who loves telling stories… Writing and submitting it was an incredibly satisfying experience and I am honored to have made the long list. – Firdausi Babasalati

*WHO IS A WEBMASTER?

A Webmaster is the winner of a Teambooktu challenge.

A Webmaster can also be a 2-time finalist (or lister) in any two Teambooktu Challenges. So far, we have only 2 webmasters in this category:-

David Agyei-Yeboah (Ghana) – Short-listed in Kene Offor- Teambooktu Poetry Challenge and Long-listed in Kene Offor- Teambooktu Flash Fiction Challenge

Ruby-Ann Konugah (Nigeria)- Short-listed in Kene Offor- Teambooktu Poetry Challenge and Long-listed in Kene Offor- Teambooktu Flash Fiction Challenge