[{"id":26181,"date":"2026-09-24T18:13:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?p=26181"},"modified":"2026-09-24T18:15:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:15:40","slug":"can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It has become clich\u00e9d, in Nigerian literature, to issue public disavowals of the role of cultural informants for Western audiences. In her famous 2009 TED Talk, \u201cThe Danger of a Single Story,\u201d Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie<\/a> critiques, among other notions, the expectation that African writers explain their culture rather than explore universal themes. In 2012, Teju Cole<\/a> echoed this sentiment in his essay \u201cThe White-Savior Industrial Complex<\/a>.\u201d In 2014, Ben Okri<\/a> called<\/a> it \u201cmental tyranny\u201d and proclaimed: \u201cWe have to seize the freedom to be what we can be, to write whatever we want, with all the mystery and fire of art. It is our responsibility to illuminate the strange corners of what it is to be human.\u201d In 2023, Ayobami Adebayo gave<\/a> it her own twist and used the term that is of interest to this piece: anthropology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One wonders why Nigerian writers keep making implicating statements and offering hollow challenges to the Western reader\u2019s perception of them and their work. These proclamations are vain, if not conceited, since their works of realism do not exhibit the radical creative freedom worthy of such denunciations; they still produce books that are firmly in the Achebean tradition. Besides, society has transformed and spaces have opened for other voices who are not professional writers to fill. The novelist who holds, sometimes authoritative, opinions across history, anthropology, politics, and culture has disappeared. The tight spaces they once occupied have expanded to allow new areas of expertise. Academic specialization means that proficiency is now compartmentalized. Social media and global connectivity have democratized who gets to present \u201cthe African experience.\u201d When people seek insight into our cultures, they know to seek scholarly credibility. They can access specialized scholarship that\u2019s far more sophisticated than what any novelist, no matter their talent or resources, can provide through fiction. No writer who claims to be practising anthropology in our time can be taken seriously, unless they are actual experts in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem isn\u2019t simply the shrunken role of Nigerian writers today. The old paradigm of African writers being \u201crevolutionaries\u201d and \u201cteachers\u201d has been abandoned \u2014 and rightly so. Literature has become for its practitioners just another career, with rites of awards, book deals, travels, readings, and sales \u2014 and, perhaps, rightly so. The problem is that these same writers desire to be accorded similar moral gravitas as Achebe and his generation. They wish, on the one hand, to be free of the responsibility of the oracle, but on the other hand, they ache to inherit that reverence. One cannot have both without earning them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chigozie
Chigozie Obioma\u2019s error in An<\/em> Orchestra of Minorities<\/em> is not the ambitious attempt at curating \u201chistory\u201d but a rhetorical insistence that cultural symbols are static and \u201cauthentic\u201d rather than plastic and oracular. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But even as some writers seek exemption from societal expertise, Chigozie Obioma is an exception. Unlike his peers, he has not, to the best of my research, publicly renounced the role of the anthropologist. His interviews following his second novel An Orchestra of Minorities<\/a><\/em> suggest that he embraces it. He told The Republic<\/em><\/a> that he:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

attempted to draw the map of the Igbo civilization, mapping in landmark events like the first encounter with the Portuguese in the sixteenth century, slavery (through the slave the chi ensouls in Virginia in the eighteenth century), the British colonial period, the Biafran war, and the present time . . . .<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He encourages the notion in multiple interviews that, with this novel, he is doing the work of a historian, an archivist, an anthropologist. To BOMB Magazine<\/em><\/a>, he said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I wanted the narrator of this story to transcend time and be able to tell the story wholly, while also being a chronicler and teacher of history and the civilization of the Igbo people.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Any casual reader of Adiele Afigbo\u2019s Ropes of Sand<\/a><\/em>, an attempt by a professional historian to reconstruct the history of the Igbo people, knows that Obioma\u2019s \u201chistory\u201d cannot be taken seriously. His attempt at mapping Igbo cosmology is problematic. (He admits<\/a> that much to it is contested and that he\u2019s only using an approximation.) It is a precarious position at a time when the academy has moved far beyond such generalist cultural interpretation. That he has made these claims to ethnography without adoption or rebuttal from academic experts reveals something telling: that scholars no longer see novelists as participants in their conversations. It is one thing to use history as background for literary work, which is a legitimate endeavour. It is another to frame historical fiction as archival or historiographical. The latter invites comparison with actual historians, and in that context, the claims collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fissures go deeper. Obioma\u2019s obsession with \u201caccuracy\u201d in depicting Igbo mythology misses the entire point: mythology is not archaeology: mythology is a living system of meaning-making that must be constantly reinterpreted to confront each generation\u2019s existential situation. The question is not whether he gets the symbols right, since there is no orthodoxy upon which claims of \u201caccuracy\u201d can be tested. The question is why he does not frame his relationship with mythology as simple \u201cusage.\u201d The injudicious posture of \u201caccuracy\u201d places him in the logic of ethnography, where he has no expertise.  To ask what new meanings might be wrested from myths, to inquire if wresting new meanings is even possible, to wonder if their lack of meaning demands the perpetration of creative violence \u2014 that is to begin the process of mythopoesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, Obioma is so deep in imitating a role long rendered obsolete by history that he does not venture in that direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the spirit of a time that summons its prophets to participate in its birth pangs. Achebe and his generation were anthropologists not by arrogation but by accident. Their historical position as midwives and visionary intermediaries between two worlds \u2014 one dying, one struggling to be born \u2014 required ethnography. While a few, like Christopher Okigbo, were wary<\/a> of this pressure of commitment \u2014 even as it ironically has been used in explaining Okigbo\u2019s participation and death in the Biafran War \u2014 others utilized it. Achebe went further and made this epochal role an imperative for the \u201cAfrican writer\u201d against the \u201cwriter from Europe.\u201d This, unfortunately, was an antidote only for its time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Achebe could classify Things Fall Apart<\/a><\/em> as a \u201cvery gentle re-creation of the past\u201d because he imbued his work with a significance that was only permissible in his time, to writers producing volumes of thought with scant supporting resources. When he wrote it in the 1950s, there weren\u2019t many alternative sources for understanding African societies and worldviews. \u201cAfrican\u201d anthropologists and historians were still largely European, and their work was often compromised by colonial assumptions. Achebe, who studied English, History, and Religion at Ibadan and worked variously as a writer, broadcast journalist, and diplomat, had to be a generalist because many of those spaces were still narrow in their Africanness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inevitable proliferation of scholarly expertise made the corrective role that Achebe assigned to literature redundant. Yet Achebe\u2019s context and authority had already lent itself to decades-long misinterpretation, and essentially locked African writers into an instructional role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chigozie
This prophetic spirit of Biafra has ceased to be a grievance inviting pathos or resentment \u2014 or, in the case of Obioma’s The Road to the Country<\/em>, an object lesson on the futility of war.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One gets the sense that Obioma\u2019s vision in his most recent novel, The Road to the Country<\/a><\/em>, is behind the times by at least a decade. He has produced a brilliant novel about a Biafra that no longer exists, a book that also does not anticipate its future. This is a hard assessment, because, with the disruptive work of Nnamdi Kanu<\/a>, Biafra has been transformed from a historical event into a proleptic consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The old iconography of Biafran children with protruding bellies has long been superseded by images of Kanu shouting in court, or loudly challenging, on Radio Biafra, the fragile myths upon which Nigeria was established. In the words of Mary Daly: \u201cThe words of the Fates are fetched from remote times and places as well as from the innermost depths of the here and now<\/em>.\u201d The Fates of Biafra no longer turn to 1967 to fetch their prophetic words; they fetch it instead from the here and now \u2014 from the crumbling of the Nigerian experiment and from our inability to visualize an alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contemporary meaning of Biafra has been permanently transformed from a closed tragic event to a perpetually open question about the fate of a people, one that is posed in different ways across the history of Igbo people, in or out of Nigeria. That is its raw existential power. Adichie<\/a>, whose own novel on the war, Half of a Yellow Sun<\/a><\/em>, predated Obioma’s by almost two decades, recognized this when she told this magazine in 2021<\/a>: \u201cI think that Biafra for this new movement is kind of an iconic thing they call upon, but the goal is to get somewhere in the future.\u201d But for all his anthropological wandering, this shift, this prophetic generalism that would have given him his Achebean standing, escaped Obioma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One must understand that our modern African condition is marked by radical doubt. It is not mere youthful cynicism but despair in the face of exhausted and lifeless symbols. It is depression, as defined by Rollo May in The Meaning of Anxiety<\/a><\/em>: the \u201cinability to visualize a future.\u201d We live in a moment in history with no bearing towards the future. And like displaced people fleeing the ruins of our home, we have become cosmopolitans and drifters<\/a>, unsure of what we are and ought to be. We have no myths to rouse us to new adventures and to help us chart courses for our tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politically, this cry for myths has incentivised, among other recrudescent philosophies, an Nkrumahism<\/a>, where the world is divided into the Imperial Western Core, the source of all<\/em> of Africa\u2019s problems, and the Global South allied with Russia and China, two selfless and disinterested partners handing Africa freebies while the Imperial Core takes what it can. In this puerile attempt at mythmaking, North Korea is a bulwark against imperialism and not a brutal dictatorship; democracy is a \u201cWestern construct\u201d and Nigeria needs the return of a strongman, like Captain Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso<\/a>. Whatever one thinks of this un-critical diagnosis, it points to a psychic event that is peculiar to our time. Yet these modern myths, while taking the Nigerian depression seriously, are only channels of resentment. They offer no vision of transformation; they only frame our fate in terms of victimhood and simple salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obioma\u2019s error in An<\/em> Orchestra of Minorities<\/em>, if it can be called an error, is not the ambitious attempt at curating \u201chistory\u201d but a rhetorical insistence that cultural symbols are static and \u201cauthentic\u201d rather than plastic and oracular. The symbols of Igbo ontology \u2014 including the chi, which is of interest to him \u2014 are not containers of fixed meaning. They are dream-images, made to be wrestled with, like Jacob with the angel. To read or write them today is to do violence to them and be violated in turn \u2014 to open oneself up to their future<\/em> and unrevealed meanings, to the prophetic word they speak into the here and now. Perhaps this analysis applies more to Biafra than to the Igbo pantheon, considering the unresolved trauma and existential urgency of the former.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biafra of the here and now summons us not to the past but as a modern-day Delphi, an oracle lying at the farthest frontiers of society whither we sojourn on pilgrimage, often with hasty steps and frantic lips, to whisper again the question, What are we and what ought we to be?<\/em>, into the void\u2019s indifferent ear, in anticipation of the echo of I am<\/em> or I ought to be<\/em>, and with which we can hasten back to society, affront the powers of fate, attain prophetic ecstasies, perform on ourselves a psychic cleansing for the wounds of history, and reassure ourselves that we are not forgotten \u2014 that a place in the future of mankind is reserved for us. Biafra has ceased to become a tomb laid over the aspirations of a people, but a structure of historical feeling. For the oracle, as Heraclitus divined of that at Delphi, neither speaks nor reveals, but riddles the supplicant with acrimonious ironies and proverbs, and plays upon his intuition a metaphysical hide-and-seek to provoke him into drawing out the insight from within himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To draw out oracular insight demands a monumental capacity for remembering, as well as for venturing beyond, and perpetrating a metaphysical violence on memory itself. For if one does not perceive that the foundations of society are being shaken, if the illusion of continuity and perpetuity persists against the tectonic shifts heralding a volcanic eruption, then others might as well venture the shaking of those foundations. Not out of the puerile nihilism of the intellectual rebel who holds all things in egoistic contempt, but to see what new possibilities might emerge from their ruins. Thus, the inability to perceive the shifting of the tectonic plates can no longer be taken as an excuse. For the prophetic is always here, always calling forth the end, always discrediting the false prophets who promise that a new future is possible without a violent destruction of the old, inviting us to undertake the creative destruction that clears the ground for the erection of a new mythos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biafra has become the self-affirmation of a restless people for whom the past is beyond recovery, who know<\/em> they are capable of a higher synthesis and for whom the horizon of what is possible has been extended infinitely. That restlessness feeds, for example, the Igbo myth of Hebraic origins, which is merely the originary fallacy of a late, backwards people who are both aware and anxious over their lack of a historical place of their own. Synchronism and autochthony have been proffered as solutions by those who pathologize these anxieties and see them as symptoms to be treated away. But these anxieties are beyond any easy or comfortable resolutions and must be seen as what perpetually drives a people to consciously destroy their realized forms in search of new and higher forms. It is these restless strivings that made Biafra endurable and sustain Igbo people to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obioma missed that in another interview<\/a> in 2019, in which he mourns the loss of Igbo cosmology and cites Saudi Arabia as a culture that has remained unchanged across centuries. Such romanticism betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of cultural dynamism. The true<\/em> tragedy of Igbo history is not its loss of continuity to the intrusion of colonialism, but its inability to transcend its own origins. Its tragedy is not colonization, but stagnation. This is a harder and more controversial thing to say, and yet it is the intellectually honest and historically aware assessment. It is a culture that resisted its dialectical disintegration over centuries and thus failed to attain a higher synthesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prophetic spirit of a doom time does not exist in Igbo cosmology as it were. There were no voices summoning us to the end, inviting floods that clear the grounds for a new beginning. We have no visions of our death and return. No challenges to our idolatry of the temporary. On the contrary, in the West \u2014 and this does not minimize Western colonial theft of other cultures’ resources and ideas<\/a> \u2014 there is no absolute rest, only an endless motion towards ever-receding horizons of higher forms and the embrace of disintegration as a precondition for renewal. This, Oswald Spengler claims, is the great prophetic heritage of the neurotic West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That some cultures maintain coherence across time \u2014 if at all one can make the argument \u2014 is not because they are stronger or superior; it is because they are insulated from this propulsive necessity of self-transcendence that is foundational to the West\u2019s historical consciousness and, perhaps, to all truly ineluctable civilizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this prophetic spirit is what has infected Biafra. It has ceased to be a grievance inviting pathos or resentment \u2014 or, in the case of The Road to the Country<\/em>, an object lesson on the futility of war, a lesson which does not hold for the victorious and which cannot persuade human nature against indulging in wars \u2014 but grounds for the articulation of new meanings, new aspirations, new struggles towards historicality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is growing in the wider Nigerian context. And so far, our published writers have not proven themselves to be participants in this psychic event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chinua
The genius of our era is she or he who can muster the chutzpah to see<\/em>, as Achebe did when he ended A Man of the People<\/em> with a military coup, and in the second week of 1966, the five majors struck.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is nothing short of a tragedy that most published Nigerian writers have no view of the spiritual struggles of our time. They produce not new vistas of possibility but analyses. Some of the writers bridging the so-called Second and Third Generations \u2014 including Okey Ndibe<\/a>, Niyi Osundare, Femi Osofisan, and Tanure Ojaide \u2014 elaborate the paradigm of the intellectual-hierophant whose grand pronouncements speak truth to power, who raises moral outrage, in the faith that power structures are susceptible to shame and capable of hearing. But the Nigerian political machine is a self-perpetuating system of accumulation insulated from intellectual critique. Its currency is not reason or morality but power and money. So the writers who speak do so while knowing that their attacks are powerless against the hardened, cynical nature of the Nigerian state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the writers who followed and are formally celebrated as the Third Generation, perhaps sensing the futility of being oracles, shifted in their writing from direct political critique to more cosmopolitan, identity-focused narratives, christening themselves Afropolitans. In doing so, they severed themselves from the metaphysical struggles of ordinary Nigerians, physically and spiritually. Physically, because they live or keep access to better-envisioned societies and developed a register digestible for a global audience and not in the idiom of the search at home. Spiritually, because they produce exilic work, often about<\/em> Nigeria but increasingly less for<\/em> Nigerians. Some did not even need to live abroad to be severed from the struggle. Even as he approaches dusk, Wole Soyinka<\/a>, for example, still gives interviews that betray his incompetence as a political analyst. He criticizes Donald Trump, a foreign leader, but not Bola Ahmed Tinubu<\/a>, the domestic leader whose government has dealt the worst hand on Nigerians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without political capital, writers are like the rest of us, spectators, unable to change much, if anything. But the spectator, as Nietzsche saw, is divine. If one is fated to be a spectator, then one must become a divine<\/em> spectator. The blind spot of this intellectual-hierophant paradigm is that what we need is not analysis but mythos, and only with mythos can we live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we must invoke Nigerian literature\u2019s greatest blind spot: Christianity. The relentless flat attacks on Nigerian Christianity \u2014 Islam is a more protected religion \u2014 by \u201ccultured intellectuals\u201d misunderstand the mass appeal of religion in meaning-making. It offers what Nigerian artists, as a whole, fail to, which is: provide a\u00a0metaphysical framework for enduring the unendurable, a way to live through an unending national tragedy. Christianity, with its hope, promise of community, and explanation for suffering, is more immediate and comforting than the bleak, hopeless narrative of the intellectual who often stands outside the system, critiquing it, while failing to see that those inside the system are not looking for critique but for\u00a0meaning. By providing such mythos, religion became the most powerful cultural force in Nigeria \u2014 and our greatest export after the crude oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These attacks may be as much the product of barely concealed envy, an inadvertent acknowledgement of religion’s power and influence, and ignorance of its meaning, as it is about negative personal experiences within its structure. Still, those who mock it and wish to wrest it away from millions of Nigerians are unable to provide an alternative that can match its power. Instead, while they speak, and aspire to speak, to niche Western readers in New York and London, Christian ministers filled that gap of meaning for Nigerian listeners. Their literature has lost its existential urgency not because they don\u2019t produce good writing, but because, unlike the pastors, they are no longer priests that bring down fire from the mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are living in penultimate times, with the end at hand. This epoch is already minting its seers from those possessed of infinite faculties for seeing and abiding. It is inviting diviners and speculative minds who can grant us a peek into the future. It is asking that we use everything at our disposal \u2014 I see no shame in claiming Greek philosophy and the entirety of the Western tradition as part of my intellectual heritage, especially in cases where there are no choice local analogues \u2014 as tools to intuit our own fate. A new abyss has opened up and is inviting us to wrestle with it, to challenge the old certainties and to utter into the void new words \u2014 to become the forth-tellers of a new world seeking purchase to break forth into our collective consciousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why I insist that our Nigerian depression is not a curse; it is a blessing. In some thinkers, it has produced the impulse to seek that which lies beyond the self-evident. Their doubts and despair have made them not curators of lifeless cultural symbols or the mouthpieces of old grievances but their destroyers, their resurrectors, their alchemists. They have buried what cannot speak anew and have bled into language what can. The genius of our era is she or he who waits, invents, destroys, descries \u2014 the progenitor par excellence. It is she or he who can muster the chutzpah to see<\/em>, as Achebe did when he ended A Man of the People<\/a><\/em> with a military coup, and in the second week of 1966, just before the book\u2019s publication, the five majors struck<\/a> and Nigerian history changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of us who experience this perennial cry for a new myth, for prophecy that can dispel the cloud of depression overhanging a generation \u2014 for those who once sought the convenience or authority of the writer who aspires to anthropology \u2014 it is clear that most of our writers who have published books so far have no such prophetic sensibilities. Most of them have their flagpoles planted in a disappearing world, and they don\u2019t know it yet. They miss the subtle signs announcing the emergence of disintegrative conditions that once made such careers consequential beyond literature. They, who might have offered a more enduring mythos, abandoned the task and left the imaginative field open for politicians and hucksters. They focus on just building careers. In their absence, the cry for myth has been debased and shrunken into hollow performances that exploit our shared despair rather than transmute it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point is not whether Obioma, or others who seek it, has the range to deliver an Achebean moment. The point is that he sees himself as participating in its continuum and not as a rupture in it. He mistakes being a generalist as the source of Achebe\u2019s iconic stature, when it was Achebe\u2019s participation in the most important spiritual events of his time. One senses that Obioma is not privy to the larger shift in national consciousness, much less a participant in it. One perceives an easy satisfaction, perhaps even the triumph of a man who has realized a \u201cdestiny.\u201d That would be more than enough for a writer who presents as only a conjurer of imagination, but not for one who attempts to function as historian, archivist, or anthropologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is broader. In my studies of Nigerian literature, from its protest poetry traditions to ecocriticism, it is clear to me that our intellectuals have only a few frameworks through which they can interpret social and psychic phenomena \u2014 Marxism, Fanonism, postcolonial theory. Vistas that would allow them to look at the world afresh are closed to them. They all bow down before the same gods and, in turn, produce similar and uninspired visions of society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps this is the real culprit, and not necessarily their position in lived time. Perhaps the first role of a modern intellectual is to rend the veil that others us, and wander far away from all that has the appearance of \u201chome\u201d in search of new anchors. And to do so without the usual postcolonial anxiety about authenticity but as an act of self-affirmation and courage. For these questions we pose today have been posed in other places long ago. Perhaps we are only waiting for the unpublished writer who will answer us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If serious realist fiction must be done, it must be done in the face of and against the force of despair, or not at all. But there is no metaphysical provocation in the imagination of most Nigerian writers, and thus, they sleep on in our Garden of Gethsemane, while others, unheralded, despised, and persecuted, travail over the rebirth of the world. \u2666<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you love what you just read, please consider making a PayPal donation<\/a> to enable us to publish more like it.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Essays & Book Excerpts from Open Country Mag<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize<\/a> for Critical Reading and Writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Between Starshine and Clay<\/a><\/em>, by Sarah Ladipo Manyika<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 River Spirit<\/a><\/em>, by Leila Aboulela<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Black and Female<\/a><\/em>, by Tsitsi Dangarembga<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Disability and the Grammar of Presence in Versus Versus<\/a><\/em>, by Iheoma Uzomba<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Introduction<\/a> to the 60 Notable Books of 2025, by Tolu Daniel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 The Ahistorical Racial Polemic of Conclave<\/a><\/em>, by Otosirieze<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Thinking Through Tremor<\/em><\/a>, by Reyumeh Ejue<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 \u201cOur Literature Has Died Again\u201d: Nigerian Writing<\/a> in the Era of the Nomadists, by Kanyinsola Olorunnisola<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 The Nigerian Oppression, as Chinua Achebe Would See It<\/a>, by Emmanuel Esomnofu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 The Quality of Mercy<\/a><\/em>, by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 We Once Belonged to the Sea<\/a><\/em>, by Diriye Osman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Biracial Britain: A Different Way of Looking at Race<\/a><\/em>, by Remi Adekoya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 The Fugitives<\/a><\/em>, by Jamal Mahjoub<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Chigozie Obioma, Biafra, and Igbo cosmology, a philosopher reflects on \u201cthe shrunken role of Nigerian writers today\u201d and their “inability to perceive the shifting of the tectonic plates.” Arguing that the Achebean tradition has created novelists who \u201cwish to be free of the responsibility of the oracle but ache to inherit that reverence,\u201d it is a decrial of the metaphysical gap in our realist fiction, and a rallying cry for mythos and \u201coracular insight.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":26182,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mo_disable_npp":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[250,1223,1221,1224,597,1225],"writers":[23,21,191],"country":[32,34],"publication":[510],"class_list":["post-26181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-an-orchestra-of-minorities","tag-biafra","tag-chigozie-obioma","tag-igbo-cosmology","tag-nigerian-literature","tag-the-road-to-the-country","writers-chigozie-obioma","writers-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie","writers-chinua-achebe","country-africa","country-nigeria","publication-essays"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCan Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"648\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"316\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joshua I. Mokwuah\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joshua I. Mokwuah\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"20 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joshua I. Mokwuah\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/930be622cc3414b639686ee591de49aa\"},\"headline\":\"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":4384,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png\",\"keywords\":[\"An Orchestra of Minorities\",\"Biafra\",\"Chigozie Obioma\",\"Igbo cosmology\",\"Nigerian Literature\",\"The Road to the Country\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/\",\"name\":\"Can Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00\",\"description\":\"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png\",\"width\":648,\"height\":316,\"caption\":\"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/books\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"description\":\": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"width\":2697,\"height\":555,\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/930be622cc3414b639686ee591de49aa\",\"name\":\"Joshua I. Mokwuah\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joshua I. Mokwuah\"},\"description\":\"Joshua I. Mokwuah is a reader of literature. He lives in Nsukka, where he\u2019s working on his contributions to the philosophy of history. Another of his essays has appeared in African Arguments.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/author\\\/joshua-i-mokwuah\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Can Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag","description":"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Can Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag","og_description":"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.","og_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/","og_site_name":"Open Country Mag","article_published_time":"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":648,"height":316,"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Joshua I. Mokwuah","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joshua I. Mokwuah","Est. reading time":"20 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/"},"author":{"name":"Joshua I. Mokwuah","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/930be622cc3414b639686ee591de49aa"},"headline":"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?","datePublished":"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/"},"wordCount":4384,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","keywords":["An Orchestra of Minorities","Biafra","Chigozie Obioma","Igbo cosmology","Nigerian Literature","The Road to the Country"],"articleSection":["Books"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/","name":"Can Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy? : Open Country Mag","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","datePublished":"2026-09-24T17:13:48+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-24T17:15:40+00:00","description":"A philosopher reflects on Chigozie Obioma, Chinua Achebe, Biafra, and a metaphysical gap in Nigerian literature today.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","width":648,"height":316,"caption":"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/can-contemporary-nigerian-literature-come-forth-as-prophecy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Can Contemporary Nigerian Literature Come Forth as Prophecy?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","name":"Open Country Mag","description":": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization","name":"Open Country Mag","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","width":2697,"height":555,"caption":"Open Country Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/930be622cc3414b639686ee591de49aa","name":"Joshua I. Mokwuah","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3afe98970302d5e219f3815a83d64f6f380848433b4ee832f1407df55b26b007?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joshua I. Mokwuah"},"description":"Joshua I. Mokwuah is a reader of literature. He lives in Nsukka, where he\u2019s working on his contributions to the philosophy of history. Another of his essays has appeared in African Arguments.","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/author\/joshua-i-mokwuah\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Can-Contemporary-Nigerian-Literature-Come-Forth-as-Prophecy.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26181"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26248,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26181\/revisions\/26248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26181"},{"taxonomy":"writers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writers?post=26181"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=26181"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=26181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":26123,"date":"2026-09-18T20:44:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T19:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?p=26123"},"modified":"2026-09-19T18:27:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T17:27:02","slug":"12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago. Now, 176 Writers & PEN International Are Calling for Proof of Life."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>18 September 2026, London:<\/strong> Nobel laureates <strong>Olga Tokarczuk<\/strong> and <strong>J.M. Coetzee,<\/strong> alongside leading international writers including <strong>Burhan Sonmez,<\/strong> President of PEN International, <strong>Jennifer Clement<\/strong> and <strong>John Ralston Saul,<\/strong> former Presidents of PEN International, <strong>Isabel Allende, <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/a-richness-of-african-consciousness-how-a-spiritual-novel-the-famished-road-influenced-a-music-album-by-delasi\/\">Ben Okri<\/a>, Yann Martel, Rohinton Mistry, Anthony Doerr, Colm T\u00f3ib\u00edn, <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/how-tsitsi-dangarembga-with-her-trilogy-of-zimbabwe-overcame\/\">Tsitsi Dangarembga<\/a>, Kamila Shamsie, Ahdaf Soueif, Dacia Maraini,<\/strong> and others, have signed a PEN International open letter to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, in support of PEN International\u2019s global <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pen-international.org\/proof-of-life-now\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><strong><em>Proof of Life<\/em><\/strong><\/a> <strong>campaign<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter calls for immediate, verified proof of life for 12 Eritrean writers and journalists who were arrested and disappeared in 2001, and for an end to 25 years of silence surrounding their fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTwenty-five years is an unbearable length of time for any family to live without knowing whether a loved one is alive,” said Burhan Sonmez, President of PEN International. “These writers have not disappeared from our memory. We will continue to speak their names, and we will continue to demand the truth about what happened to them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 12 writers and journalists are <strong>Amanuel Asrat, Dawit Habtemichael, Dawit Isaak, Fessehaye \u2018Joshua\u2019 Yohannes, Matheos Habteab, Medhanie Haile, Sahle \u2018Wedi-ltay\u2019 Tsegazeab, Said Abdelkadir, Said Idris \u2018Abu Are\u2019, Seyoum Tsehaye, Temesgen Ghebreyesus and Yousif Mohammed Ali.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a quarter of a century, their families and colleagues have received no verified information about their whereabouts, health or survival. The writers have been held incommunicado without trial or contact with their families. PEN International has consistently campaigned for their freedom and for information about their fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The letter calls on the Eritrean authorities to \u201cProvide immediate, verified proof of life for all arbitrarily detained Eritrean writers and critics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The 12 Writers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001\" class=\"wp-image-26131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sahle-Wedi-Itay-Tsegazeab<\/strong> <strong>(<em>Journalist<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sahle-Wedi-Itay-Tsegazeab was a writer and freelance journalist who worked for the privately owned newspaper <em>Keste Debena<\/em> as well as the pro-government daily <em>Hadas Eritrea<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was arrested in October 2001 in relation to his journalistic work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001\" class=\"wp-image-26126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Said Abdelkadir <em>(Journalist)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Said Abdelkadir was the editor-in-chief of the <em>Admas<\/em> newspaper at the time of his arbitrary arrest and imprisonment in September 2001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His whereabouts and state of health remain unknown, as Eritrean authorities have ignored repeated requests for disclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001\" class=\"wp-image-26125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Medhanie Haile <em>(Writer, Journalist, and Translator)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Medhanie Haile was the deputy editor of the <em>Keste-Demena Newspaper<\/em>. At the time of his arbitrary arrest in September 2001, he was a lawyer working for the Eritrean Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wrote articles calling for the establishment of the rule of law in an independent Eritrea. Eritrean authorities have consistently refused to disclose information about Haile\u2019s whereabouts and state of health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001\" class=\"wp-image-26135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/12.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Temesgen Ghebreyesus <em>(Journalist, Comedian, Actor, and Photographer)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Temesgen Gebreyesus is remembered for his acting, sharp sense of humour, and photography skills. He was arbitrarily arrested in September 2001, along with other journalists, for reporting on the letter by a group of dissenting members of the ruling party, known as the G-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eritrean authorities have consistently refused to disclose his place of detention, or any information about his health and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/11.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Matheos Habteab <em>(Journalist)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matheos Habteab is a co-founder and editor of the independent weekly newspaper, <em>Mekalih (Echo)<\/em>. Based on credible sources, Habteab was transferred to a prison in the Dahlak Archipelago in late 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was later returned to Eiraeiro prison camp, where he reportedly died in 2010, as a result of poor health and the appalling conditions in the detention camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001\" class=\"wp-image-26132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/9.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Idris Said \u2018Aba Arre\u2019 <em>(Writer, Journalist and Translator)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Idris Said \u2018Aba Arre\u2019 was a prominent critic of Eritrea\u2019s mother-tongue education policy. He was arrested after publicly denouncing the earlier arrest and detention of a group of dissenting ruling party politicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Months before his arrest, he published his seminal work on mother-tongue education, in which he criticised the government\u2019s post-independence language policy and its negative impact on the majority of the country\u2019s language groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dawit Habtemichael <em>(Journalist and Teacher)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dawit Habtemichael co-founded, together with Mathewos Habteab and others, the independent Tigrinya-language weekly newspaper, <em>Mekalih (Echo)<\/em>, where he also served on the editorial board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was arrested on 21 September 2001 at the school where he was teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Seyoum Tsehaye <em>(Journalist)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seyoum Tsehaye was a freelance journalist at the time of his arbitrary arrest during the September 2001 crackdown on Eritrean independent media and critical voices. He has helped establish Eritrea\u2019s first state TV channel, which he later left due to censorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wrote critical articles on the government\u2019s failure to respect human rights. Shortly before his arrest, he had written an article urging the Eritrean government to engage with the public and promote peace and justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eritrean authorities have ignored repeated requests to disclose Tsehaye\u2019s whereabouts and state of health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/10.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Yousif Mohammed Ali <em>(Journalist)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yousif Mohammed Ali was arbitrarily arrested and detained together with other independent journalists and critical voices, in September 2001.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the time of his arrest, he was an editor at the independent weekly newspaper, <em>\u201cTsigenay\u201d (Honey)<\/em> and worked for the Eritrean Ministry of Information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/7.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fessehaye \u2019Joshua\u2019 Yohannes <em>(Writer, Journalist, Playwright, Poet and Lyricist)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fessehaye \u2018Joshua\u2019 Yohannes was a co-owner of the independent <em>Setit<\/em> newspaper. He was arrested on the morning of 23 September 2001 during a massive crackdown by Eritrean security forces between September and October that year, targeting independent journalists and government critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26129\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/6.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dawit Isaak <em>(Journalist, Writer and Playwright)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dawit Isaak is a multiple award-winning Swedish-Eritrean journalist and co-owner of Eritrea\u2019s first independent newspaper, <em>Setit<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was arbitrarily arrested at his home in Asmara on 23 September 2001 and has remained in prison ever since. He was reportedly released briefly on 19 November 2005 for medical reasons but rearrested two days later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a 28 March 2023 opinion, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded Isaak was held without legal basis, in retaliation for peacefully exercising freedom of expression, without a fair trial, and on discriminatory grounds. He is believed to be among the few surviving prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-768x1086.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1.jpg 1587w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Amanuel Asrat <em>(Journalist, Poet, Art Critic and Song Writer)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amanuel Asrat is credited with reviving Eritrean poetry in the early 2000s. He founded <em>Saturday\u2019s Supper<\/em>, a literary platform that inspired arts clubs across Eritrea, and was editor-in-chief and co-founder of <em>Zemen<\/em>, where he reported on government abuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He won national awards, including for <em>The Scourge of War<\/em>, translated into 16 languages, and received the 2016 Oxfam Novib\/PEN Freedom of Expression Award and 2020 PEN Pinter Prize. On 23 September 2001, he was arrested during a crackdown on independent media. He was held at Eiraeiro prison before transfer in 2016 to an unknown facility. His whereabouts remain unknown, and he is believed among the few surviving detainees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See the full letter below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Eritrea: An Open Letter to President Isias Afwerki<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A quarter-century of silence and impunity: a global demand for Proof of Life of Eritrean writers detained since 2001<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mr. President:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">18 September 2026 marks exactly 25 years since your government launched a brutal crackdown on critics of your administration. Within days, Eritrea\u2019s free press and the nation\u2019s independent voices were systematically crushed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The crackdown saw security forces arbitrarily arrest and detain journalists, writers, and poets who hoped to build a just, peaceful, and democratic Eritrea. We remember their names today:  <strong>Amanuel Asrat<\/strong>; <strong>Dawit Habtemichael<\/strong>; <strong>Dawit Isaak<\/strong>; <strong>Fessehaye \u2018Joshua\u2019 Yohannes<\/strong>; <strong>Matheos Habteab<\/strong>; <strong>Medhanie Haile<\/strong>; <strong>Sahle \u2018Wedi-ltay\u2019<\/strong> <strong>Tsegazeab<\/strong>; <strong>Said Abdelkadir<\/strong>; <strong>Said Idris \u2018Abu Are\u2019<\/strong>; <strong>Seyoum Tsehaye<\/strong>; <strong>Temesgen Ghebreyesus<\/strong>; and <strong>Yousif Mohammed Ali<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a quarter of a century, these individuals have been held incommunicado and denied access to legal representation, medical care, and their loved ones. They are among the world\u2019s longest-detained writers. Their only apparent crime was being independent voices and speaking of the Eritrea they dreamed of for the future. They should not have been detained in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The families of these writers, the Eritrean people, and the global literary community have been met with a painful and unlawful silence. To withhold all information regarding their health, location, and survival is a violation of international law and an act of cruelty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We, the undersigned writers, journalists, poets, publishers, and human rights advocates from all corners of the world, write to you today with a single, urgent demand: provide immediate, verified proof of life for all arbitrarily detained Eritrean writers and critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mr. President, Eritrea\u2019s future must be built with its brightest minds, not based on their suppression. No writer or journalist should be disappeared for peacefully expressing their views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We remain in solidarity with our missing colleagues, and we will not cease our efforts until they are free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Signed by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Abdulai Sila, Guinea- Bissau<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Abedom Weldemariam, Luxembourg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Abraham T. Zere, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ahdaf Soueif, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ahmed Sadeg, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Akberet Mehari, The Netherlands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alfred Msadala, Malawi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allieu Kamara, Sierra Leone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alsadig Alradi, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amal Akasha, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amani Abdelgalil, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aminatta Forna, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andrea Barnet, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andrei Kurkov, Ukraine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annie Olivier, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anthony Doerr, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arlin Cicekci, T\u00fcrkiye<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Awet Fissehaye Mebrahtom, United Kingdom <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Awet Mengsteab, The Netherlands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ayi Renaud Dossavi, Togo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Beatrice Lamwaka, Uganda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ben Okri, Nigeria\/United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bibi Burger, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bokre Ghebreyesus, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bongani Kona, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Burhan Sonmez, T\u00fcrkiye\/United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canisia Lubrin, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carole Carcillo Mesrobian, France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carolyn Cohagan, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Catherine Banner, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Catrina Wessels, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Charles Foran, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chidi Anthony Opara, Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chloe Aridjis, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christopher McFarlane, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Colm Toibin, Ireland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cristina Wormull Chiorrini, Chile<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dacia Maraini, Italy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dan Midalia, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daniel Kifle, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daniel Pedreira, Cuba\/USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daniel Semere Tesfai, Germany<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Denden Solomon, Uganda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dessale Berekhet Abraham, Norway<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Diane Alm\u00e9ras, Chile <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dinaw Mengestu, Ethiopia\/USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dominique Gaucher, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ekram Abdullah Berkia, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elif Shafak, T\u00fcrkiye\/United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ellen van Pelt, Belgium<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emad Badawi, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u00c9ric Brucher, Belgium<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eric Lax, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Erla Diedericks, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ermias Ekube, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Faisal Elbagir, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fikrey Yeman, Norway<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fr. Yonas Welderufael, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Germ\u00e1n Rojas, Chile<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ghirmai Negash, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ghirmay Yohannes, Sweden <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gillian Slovo, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gioconda Belli, Nicaragua<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gloria Browne-Marshall, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hafiz Azharr Hafiz Abbas Mohmed, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Halima Abdulazeez, Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hanna Kumar, United Kingdom<br>Helene Jaccomard, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ibrahim Hassan (Kojan), Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ira Wells, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Isabel Allende, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ishraga Mustafa Hamid, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issayas Beyene, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Izak de Vries, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Izzeldin Taha, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>J M Coetzee, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>James Gleick, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jennifer Clement, USA\/Mexico<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jennifer Finney Boylan, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>John Ralston Saul, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Josephine Scicluna, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Judith Wilkinson, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Julian Fellowes, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Juliet Jacques, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kamal Bashari, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kamila Shamsie, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kokob Tesfaldet, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Krishna Sen, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lakshmi Kanchi, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lamia Gasim, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lars Gudmundson, Norway<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laura Hubber, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lauren Groff, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laurie Halse Anderson, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lemn Sissay, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lesley Marshall, New Zealand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lila Cona, Serbia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Linwood Barclay, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Louis de Bernieres, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Louise L. Lambrichs, France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lydia Cacho, Mexico <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maaza Mengiste, Ethiopia\/USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Madeleine Thien, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mai Musie, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Margaret Busby, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marian Botsford Fraser, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Max Porter, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mazen Darwish, Syria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mekonen Tesfai, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mercy Kannemeyer, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Merel de Beer, Netherlands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mihret Kebede, Austria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mikhail Shishkin, Russian Federation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mille Rode, Denmark<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mogahid Eisa Adam, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mogos Okbamichael, UK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mohamed Alsabd, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mohamed Sidahmed, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mujtaba Mannan, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Munyao Kilolo, Kenya<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mussab Mohammed Ali, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mustafa Adam, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Muzna Abdulrahman Mohammed, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nadia Davids, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nadifa Mohamed, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nasser Ahmedin, Norway<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nii Ayikwei Parkes, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Obinna Chilekezi Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Olga Tokarczuk, Poland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Osama Altayeb, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Osama Edries, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Osman Omer (Turath), Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paolo Giordano, Italy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Philip Slayton, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Philippe Sands, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preti Taneja, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rashid Sid Ahmed Elsheikh, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Richard Stursberg, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ricky Monahan Brown, Scotland<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Roaya Yahya Idris Okasha, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Robin Bower, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rohinton Mistry, India\/Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rui Umezawa, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Saba Kidane, France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Said Khatibi, Algeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Salil Tripathi, India\/USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Salma Abdelazim Yousif, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samar Yazbek, France<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sandro Veronesi, Italy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sara Hamza Aljack, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sergei Lebedev, Russia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shawna-Leze Meiring, South Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sheng Xue, China<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shishai Shimondi, Germany<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shishay Gebrehans, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stella Gaitano, South Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tedros Abraham Beraki, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tesfit Abraham, Uganda<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tessy Baila, Greece<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tice Cin, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Toyin Adenubi, Nigeria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tsegay Mehari, Sweden <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tsitsi Dangarembga, Zimbabwe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Viv Glance, Australia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Viv Groskop, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wagdi Elsheikh Manssour, Sudan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wahab Michael- Norway<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wolfgang Martin Roth, Austria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yann Martel, Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yassmin Abdel-Magied, United Kingdom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yirgalem Fisseha Mebrahtu, Germany<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yonas Haile, Sweden<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yonatan Tsighe, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yonatan Tsighe, USA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yorn Young, Cambodia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Yousif Alhabob, Sudan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information, contact Sabrina Tucci, Head of Communications and Campaigns for PEN International: <a href=\"mailto:Sabrina.tucci@pen-international.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sabrina.tucci@pen-international.org<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The advocating writers, including Tsitsi Dangarembga, J.M. Coetzee, Olga Tokarczuk, Ben Okri, Yann Martel, Rohinton Mistry, Anthony Doerr, Colm T\u00f3ib\u00edn, and Kamila Shamsie, signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":26169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mo_disable_npp":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[1208],"writers":[1215,1211,1218,1212,1213,1209,1216,1217,1210,1214,1220,1219],"country":[32,52],"publication":[688,515,393],"class_list":["post-26123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-eritrean-literature","writers-amanuel-asrat","writers-dawit-habtemichael","writers-dawit-isaak","writers-fessehaye-joshua-yohannes","writers-matheos-habteab","writers-medhanie-haile","writers-sahle-wedi-ltay-tsegazeab","writers-said-abdelkadir","writers-said-idris-abu-are","writers-seyoum-tsehaye","writers-temesgen-ghebreyesus","writers-yousif-mohammed-ali","country-africa","country-global","publication-features","publication-on-the-scene","publication-press-releases"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"647\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"321\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"PEN International\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"PEN International\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"PEN International\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e20552db6581a9498ec28f4258051195\"},\"headline\":\"12 Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago. Now, 176 Writers & PEN International Are Calling for Proof of Life.\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2053,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Eritrean Literature\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/\",\"name\":\"Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00\",\"description\":\"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png\",\"width\":647,\"height\":321,\"caption\":\"The 12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001. Images courtesy of PEN International.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/books\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"12 Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago. Now, 176 Writers & PEN International Are Calling for Proof of Life.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"description\":\": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"width\":2697,\"height\":555,\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e20552db6581a9498ec28f4258051195\",\"name\":\"PEN International\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"PEN International\"},\"description\":\"PEN International was founded in London, UK, in 1921, simply as PEN. Today, it operates across five continents in over 100 countries, with over 130 Centres supporting unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/author\\\/pen-international\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag","description":"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag","og_description":"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.","og_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/","og_site_name":"Open Country Mag","article_published_time":"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00","og_image":[{"width":647,"height":321,"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"PEN International","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"PEN International","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/"},"author":{"name":"PEN International","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/e20552db6581a9498ec28f4258051195"},"headline":"12 Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago. Now, 176 Writers & PEN International Are Calling for Proof of Life.","datePublished":"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/"},"wordCount":2053,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","keywords":["Eritrean Literature"],"articleSection":["Books"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/","name":"Twelve Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago : Open Country Mag","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","datePublished":"2026-09-18T19:44:53+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-19T17:27:02+00:00","description":"176 writers and PEN International have signed an open letter to President Isaias Afwerki, calling for proof of life for the Eritrean writers.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","width":647,"height":321,"caption":"The 12 Eritrean writers disappeared in 2001. Images courtesy of PEN International."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/12-eritrean-writers-were-disappeared-25-years-ago-now-176-writers-pen-international-are-calling-for-proof-of-life\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"12 Eritrean Writers Were Disappeared 25 Years Ago. Now, 176 Writers & PEN International Are Calling for Proof of Life."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","name":"Open Country Mag","description":": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization","name":"Open Country Mag","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","width":2697,"height":555,"caption":"Open Country Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/e20552db6581a9498ec28f4258051195","name":"PEN International","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/36f3103ae0a05ffb59a586b0c18f9ce31c67411d20cd492773cd614e4529ebe2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"PEN International"},"description":"PEN International was founded in London, UK, in 1921, simply as PEN. Today, it operates across five continents in over 100 countries, with over 130 Centres supporting unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations.","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/author\/pen-international\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/The-12-Eritrean-writers-disappeared-in-2001.-Images-courtesy-of-PEN-International-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/90"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26123"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26174,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26123\/revisions\/26174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26123"},{"taxonomy":"writers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writers?post=26123"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=26123"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=26123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":26118,"date":"2026-09-17T19:31:57","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T18:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?p=26118"},"modified":"2026-09-24T16:09:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:09:28","slug":"cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Cover Reveal: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s <em>Birth of Orisha<\/em>, the First Novel in His <em>Orisha Cycle<\/em> Trilogy (Exclusive)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Open Country Mag<\/em> is exclusively revealing the front cover of <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/oghenechovwe-donald-ekpekis-curation-of-african-speculative-fiction\/\">Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s<\/a> debut novel <em>Birth of Orisha<\/em>, the first book in his planned <em>Orisha Cycle<\/em> trilogy, <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/oghenechovwe-ekpeki-debut-novel-acquired-by-caezik-books\/\">forthcoming from Caezik SF & Fantasy<\/a>, an imprint of Arc Manor. The novel, which expands on his award-winning novella <em>Ife-Iyoku, the Tale of Imadeyunuagbon<\/em>, is scheduled for publication on 16 February 2027, during Black History Month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cover is illustrated by John Jennings, the <em>New York Times<\/em> bestselling artist, writer, scholar, and recipient of the Hugo, Eisner, and NAACP Image awards. Jennings is also a professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside, and the founder of Megascope, a graphic novel imprint at Abrams ComicArts. His work includes adaptations of Octavia Butler\u2019s <em>Kindred<\/em> and <em>Parable of the Sower<\/em>, created alongside Damian Duffy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"663\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front-663x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Front Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\" class=\"wp-image-26120\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front-663x1024.jpg 663w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front-768x1187.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front-994x1536.jpg 994w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Birth-of-Orisha-Book-Cover-Front.jpg 1090w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set in the near-far future, <em>Birth of Orisha<\/em> imagines an Africa devastated by nuclear war, where nearly all life has been destroyed. The people of Ife-Iyoku, formerly Ile-Ife, the birthplace of all life, are protected and transformed by the power of the place, evolving and gaining powers to survive. The place is protected and ringed by the forest of fears, which holds the radiation from reaching them, but also keeps them trapped in and separated from the rest of the world which has abandoned and forgotten them, as they begin to die out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The novel develops the world first introduced in Ekpeki\u2019s <em>Ife-Iyoku, The Tale of Imadeyunuagbon<\/em>, a novella that earned nominations for the Nebula, BSFA, and Sturgeon awards and won the Otherwise and Nommo awards. <em>Birth of Orisha<\/em> is the first of three planned books, followed by <em>War of Orisha<\/em> and <em>Death of Orisha<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Oghenechovwe-Donald.jpg\" alt=\"Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\" class=\"wp-image-26121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Oghenechovwe-Donald.jpg 960w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Oghenechovwe-Donald-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Oghenechovwe-Donald-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Oghenechovwe-Donald-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ekpeki describes <em>Birth of Orisha<\/em> as an Art\u00e6FACT, a new literary form developed specifically for the telling of this story. Further details about the form and its relationship to the novel are expected in forthcoming reveals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The novel has already received recognition ahead of publication, making the shortlist for the <a href=\"https:\/\/jaylit.com\/oghenechovwe-ekpeki-makes-the-2025-santa-fe-writers-project-literary-awards-shortlist\/%C2%A0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Awards<\/a> from thousands of submissions. It was the only work by an African writer to make the shortlist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Purchase<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The book is currently available for pre-order via <em>Open Country Mag<\/em>‘s affiliate link on Amazon: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/link.amazon\/B077hoDC4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also purchase it here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.walmart.com\/ip\/Birth-of-Orisha-Paperback-9781647102111\/19244606951\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Walmart<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/banksquarebooks.com\/book\/9781647102111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bank Square Books<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booksamillion.com\/p\/Birth-Orisha\/Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpeki\/9781647102111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Books-A-Million<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/birth-of-orisha-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki\/8cc44c384e77c199?ean=9781647102111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Bookshop.org<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kingsbookstore.com\/book\/9781647102111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">King\u2019s Books<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/au\/en\/audiobook\/birth-of-orisha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Kobo<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/libro.fm\/audiobooks\/9798898850920-birth-of-orisha\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Libro.fm<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Open Country Mag is exclusively revealing the front cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s debut novel Birth of Orisha, the first book in his planned Orisha Cycle trilogy, forthcoming from Caezik SF & Fantasy, an imprint of Arc Manor. The novel, which expands on his award-winning novella Ife-Iyoku, the Tale of Imadeyunuagbon, is scheduled for publication […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":26156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mo_disable_npp":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[945,943,1207,938],"writers":[440],"country":[34],"publication":[519,689],"class_list":["post-26118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-african-speculative-fiction-and-fantasy","tag-birth-of-orisha","tag-cover-reveal","tag-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki","writers-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki","country-nigeria","publication-book-report","publication-opportunities"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"864\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"419\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/fccb6c755d52d1605f823a26fc7fad07\"},\"headline\":\"Cover Reveal: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the First Novel in His Orisha Cycle Trilogy (Exclusive)\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":411,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png\",\"keywords\":[\"African speculative fiction and fantasy\",\"Birth of Orisha\",\"Cover Reveal\",\"Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/\",\"name\":\"Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00\",\"description\":\"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png\",\"width\":864,\"height\":419},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/books\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Cover Reveal: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the First Novel in His Orisha Cycle Trilogy (Exclusive)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"description\":\": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"width\":2697,\"height\":555,\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/fccb6c755d52d1605f823a26fc7fad07\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/author\\\/open-country-mag\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag","description":"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag","og_description":"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.","og_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/","og_site_name":"Open Country Mag","article_published_time":"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00","og_image":[{"width":864,"height":419,"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Open Country Mag","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Open Country Mag","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/"},"author":{"name":"Open Country Mag","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fccb6c755d52d1605f823a26fc7fad07"},"headline":"Cover Reveal: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the First Novel in His Orisha Cycle Trilogy (Exclusive)","datePublished":"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/"},"wordCount":411,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","keywords":["African speculative fiction and fantasy","Birth of Orisha","Cover Reveal","Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki"],"articleSection":["Books"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/","name":"Cover Reveal: Birth of Orisha by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki : Open Country Mag","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","datePublished":"2026-09-17T18:31:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-24T15:09:28+00:00","description":"The cover of Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the first book in his Orisha Cycle, exclusively revealed by Open Country Mag.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","width":864,"height":419},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/cover-reveal-one-oghenechovwe-donald-ekpeki-birth-of-orisha-the-first-book-in-the-orisha-cycle\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Cover Reveal: Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki\u2019s Birth of Orisha, the First Novel in His Orisha Cycle Trilogy (Exclusive)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","name":"Open Country Mag","description":": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization","name":"Open Country Mag","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","width":2697,"height":555,"caption":"Open Country Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fccb6c755d52d1605f823a26fc7fad07","name":"Open Country Mag","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4c54d66e0a7c2f802152bba61659f5bd8e0f908a852d4152c4f39d4d71927db0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Open Country Mag"},"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/author\/open-country-mag\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Cover-Reveal-One-Oghenechovwe-Donald-Ekpekis-Birth-of-Orisha-the-First-Book-in-the-Orisha-Cycle.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26118"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26208,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26118\/revisions\/26208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"writers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writers?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=26118"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=26118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":26067,"date":"2026-08-18T21:39:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?p=26067"},"modified":"2026-08-18T21:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:39:58","slug":"the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sabi Prize, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria, Announces Inaugural Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing has announced the winners of its inaugural edition. From approximately 220 submissions from students across 56 schools in 16 states, Juanita Douglas-Jombo, Pearl Okereke, and Sekinat Agbeleshola emerged as the top three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Founded by Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam to encourage critical reading and writing among young Nigerians, the Sabi Prize is open to students in SS1 through SS3 resident in the country; citizenship is not an eligibility requirement, and homeschooled students and students taking a gap year are also eligible to participate upon request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"26072\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Dawn-Chinagorom-Abiakalam.-From-the-Sabi-Prize.jpg\" alt=\"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools co-founder Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam\" class=\"wp-image-26072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Dawn-Chinagorom-Abiakalam.-From-the-Sabi-Prize.jpg 576w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Dawn-Chinagorom-Abiakalam.-From-the-Sabi-Prize-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam. Supplied.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"432\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"26071\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Chukwuka-Odigbo.-From-the-Sabi-Prize.png\" alt=\"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools co-founder Chukwuka Odigbo\" class=\"wp-image-26071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Chukwuka-Odigbo.-From-the-Sabi-Prize.png 432w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Chukwuka-Odigbo.-From-the-Sabi-Prize-225x300.png 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chukwuka Odigbo. Supplied.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The competition was conducted in two phases. In the first, entrants were asked to write an essay on an issue facing their community and propose how they would address it if they were in a position of leadership. From the initial pool, 65 students from 31 schools across 11 states advanced to the second phase. They were then asked to respond to any two of four prompts drawn from Chapter Four of Buchi Emecheta\u2019s <em>The Joys of Motherhood<\/em>. The only genre requirement was that submissions take the form of an analytical essay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chukwuka told <em>Open Country Mag<\/em>, \u201cWe were excited to receive carefully crafted essays that showed our entrants had thought about the text they were asked to read. There\u2019s a deluge of news reports on a literacy crisis among young children; we should be thoughtful and unrelenting in how we tackle it. Part of me is also thinking about Okonjo-Iweala\u2019s speech where she talks about different \u2018aid\u2019 players doing different things and then asks about the opportunity to consolidate for more targeted impact. Yes, the Sabi Prize is important, but how do we solve the problem in a structural way?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Douglas-Jombo, an SS3 student at Lyc\u00e9e Fran\u00e7ais Louis Pasteur de Lagos, won first place. Okereke, a student at The Hillside School, Abuja, placed second, while Agbeleshola, a Year 12 student at City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, placed third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The winners were selected by writers <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/jowhor-ile-adachioma-ezeano-win-o-henry-prizes-2021\/\">Adachioma Ezeano<\/a>, a 2021 O. Henry Prize recipient and 2023 Best of the Net winner, and <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/isele-prizes-uchechukwu-peter-umezurike-esther-ifesinachi-okonkwo-named-winners\/\">Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo<\/a>, author of <em>The Tiny Things Are Heavier<\/em>, which was longlisted for the 2026 Dylan Thomas Prize and named a Best Book of 2025 by <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/60-notable-books-of-2025\/\"><em>Open Country<\/em> <em>Mag<\/em><\/a>, <em>Vogue<\/em>, and <em>Forbes<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"858\" data-id=\"26077\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Adachioma-Ezeano-2.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Adachioma-Ezeano-2.jpeg 713w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Adachioma-Ezeano-2-249x300.jpeg 249w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adachioma Ezeano.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"26075\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Esther-Ifesinachi-Okonkwo.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The judges praised Douglas-Jombo\u2019s winning essay for its \u201cincisive\u201d treatment of the \u201cironies of colonial systems,\u201d concluding that she had \u201cthe voice and boldness of a truth teller.\u201d For Agbeleshola\u2019s third-place essay, they commended its \u201cpoignant explorations of the changing social structures\u201d of colonial Lagos, calling it \u201cbrilliant and sharply observed.\u201d The founders similarly praised Okereke\u2019s deconstruction of Emecheta\u2019s portrayal of colonial life, describing it as \u201cstraightforward, haunting, and timely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reflecting on the inaugural edition, Dawn said it had been a rewarding experience working with the students and teachers involved. \u201cWe\u2019ve been so honored to enjoy and experience the fantastic nature of their writing. We hope to continue to inspire young Nigerians everywhere to engage with our rich literature and share their ideas with the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of a partnership with the Sabi Prize, the three essays are published on <em>Open Country Mag<\/em>. The founders said in their official <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sabiprize\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">announcement<\/a>, \u201cWe are thrilled to be working with <em>Open Country Magazine<\/em>, the perfect home for a project such as this. The precision and the rigor they bring to covering the most important literature and film are singular, and we are pleased that the inaugural winners of the Sabi Prize will have their words in OCM\u2019s pages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first-place winner will receive \u20a61 million, while the second- and third-place winners receive \u20a6750,000 and \u20a6500,000 respectively. Each of the remaining finalists in the Top Ten will receive \u20a6100,000. It is a total of \u20a62,950,000 ($2,165).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"821\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-821x1024.png\" alt=\"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\" class=\"wp-image-26059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-821x1024.png 821w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-241x300.png 241w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-768x958.png 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-1231x1536.png 1231w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post.png 1439w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“A Sabi Prize for secondary schools is exactly what we need in a country like ours, where education and basic culture have been so sabotaged as to leave young people with little hope,” said <em>Open Country Mag<\/em> founder Otosirieze. “To see young people leading it makes me happy. I applaud Chukwuka and Dawn and hope that this motivates more people to invest in building literary infrastructure.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201c<\/strong>We are grateful to all our partners: our judges Adachioma and Esther, teachers, students, <em>Open Country Mag<\/em>, the donors who funded the top three prizes, and more people than we can name,\u201d the founders said. \u201cWe are also thankful for the engagement we saw in our first year. As we kick off our next edition of the Prize in September, we hope to get entries that reflect the varied backgrounds and experiences of the student population in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read: The <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/\">Top Three Essays from the Sabi Prize<\/a> for Secondary Schools<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Founded by Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam, and judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo, the \u20a62.95 million ($2,165) Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing “hopes to inspire young Nigerians everywhere.” <em>Open Country Mag<\/em> has published the winning essays.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":8478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mo_disable_npp":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[597,1206,1204],"writers":[629,623],"country":[34],"publication":[30],"class_list":["post-26067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-nigerian-literature","tag-nigerian-secondary-schools","tag-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing","writers-adachioma-ezeano","writers-esther-ifesinachi-okonkwo","country-nigeria","publication-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"360\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Paula Willie-Okafor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Paula Willie-Okafor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb\"},\"headline\":\"The Sabi Prize, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria, Announces Inaugural Winners\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":795,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/03\\\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Nigerian Literature\",\"Nigerian secondary schools\",\"The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/03\\\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/03\\\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/03\\\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg\",\"width\":640,\"height\":360,\"caption\":\"Entrants for the Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing were judged on their analyses of Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood. Image credit: BBC.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/books\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The Sabi Prize, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria, Announces Inaugural Winners\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"description\":\": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"width\":2697,\"height\":555,\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb\",\"name\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\"},\"description\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor is a staff writer at Open Country Mag. For the magazine, she has written features, news stories, reviews of books and films, and longform Profiles of writers, including cover stories on Leila Aboulela and Chinelo Okparanta. She was a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she was custodian of The Writers' Community (TWC). She is now studying Media and Communication at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja. Her writing has appeared in Kissing Dynamite Magazine and Praxis Magazine.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/author\\\/paula-willie-okafor\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag","description":"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag","og_description":"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.","og_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/","og_site_name":"Open Country Mag","article_published_time":"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":360,"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Paula Willie-Okafor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Paula Willie-Okafor","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/"},"author":{"name":"Paula Willie-Okafor","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb"},"headline":"The Sabi Prize, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria, Announces Inaugural Winners","datePublished":"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/"},"wordCount":795,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","keywords":["Nigerian Literature","Nigerian secondary schools","The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing"],"articleSection":["Books"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/","name":"The Sabi Prize for Secondary Schools Announces Winners : Open Country Mag","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-18T20:39:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-18T20:39:58+00:00","description":"The Sabi Prize for secondary schools awards teenage writers. The founders are Chukwuka Odigbo and Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","width":640,"height":360,"caption":"Entrants for the Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing were judged on their analyses of Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood. Image credit: BBC."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Sabi Prize, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria, Announces Inaugural Winners"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","name":"Open Country Mag","description":": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization","name":"Open Country Mag","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","width":2697,"height":555,"caption":"Open Country Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb","name":"Paula Willie-Okafor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Paula Willie-Okafor"},"description":"Paula Willie-Okafor is a staff writer at Open Country Mag. For the magazine, she has written features, news stories, reviews of books and films, and longform Profiles of writers, including cover stories on Leila Aboulela and Chinelo Okparanta. She was a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she was custodian of The Writers' Community (TWC). She is now studying Media and Communication at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja. Her writing has appeared in Kissing Dynamite Magazine and Praxis Magazine.","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/author\/paula-willie-okafor\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Buchi-Emecheta.-from-BBC.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26067"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26104,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26067\/revisions\/26104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26067"},{"taxonomy":"writers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writers?post=26067"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=26067"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=26067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":26042,"date":"2026-08-18T21:38:42","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?p=26042"},"modified":"2026-08-23T18:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T17:22:11","slug":"ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"84\" height=\"84\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/OCM-End-Mark-for-Culture.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13189\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">At a time when Nigeria\u2019s reading culture is increasingly imperiled, and serious thought is treated as indulgence, the Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing is concerned with our most important constituency: young people. Its preoccupation follows an ugly diagnosis: <a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/news\/article\/n3-52trn-education-budget-in-2025-poor-outcomes-persist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">less than 10% of the country\u2019s annual budget is allocated to the education sector<\/a>, while startling out-of-school population numbers (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/nigeria\/media\/7746\/file\/UNICEF%20Nigeria%20Cheat%20Sheet:%20Out-of-school%20Children.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">up to 18.3 million children<\/a>, one of the highest globally), underfunded literacy initiatives, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/nigeria\/education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">persistent gender and regional disparities<\/a> reveal a system sorely, and astoundingly, apathetic to its learning gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So when Otosirieze shared that the founders, Dawn Chinagorom-Abiakalam and Chukwuka Odigbo, had proposed that <em>Open Country Mag<\/em> publish the winning essays, it seemed to me a necessary act of resistance: beneath the country\u2019s stark educational failures are students who are reading closely, thinking critically, and writing with fresh acuity. I was excited to edit the essays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Sabi Prize is open to senior secondary school (SS1 \u2013 SS3) students resident in Nigeria, as well as homeschooled students and those taking a gap year. In Phase 1, entrants were asked to write an essay about an issue affecting their community and what they would do to fix it if they were in a position of leadership. For Phase 2, the students were asked to write an analytical essay in response to any two of four prompts drawn from Chapter 4 of Buchi Emecheta\u2019s <em>The Joys of Motherhood<\/em>; their submission would examine colonialism, socioeconomic pressures, cultural conflict, and the demands of survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And here is what delights me most about this initiative: very rarely do we see literary pursuit by children awarded to this degree: \u20a61,000,000 for first place, \u20a6750,000 for second, \u20a6500,000 for third, and \u20a6100,000 for each of the Top Ten finalists. It is a total of \u20a62,950,000 ($2,165).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"821\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-821x1024.png\" alt=\"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\" class=\"wp-image-26059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-821x1024.png 821w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-241x300.png 241w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-768x958.png 768w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post-1231x1536.png 1231w, https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Essays-IG-post.png 1439w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 821px) 100vw, 821px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of the 220 entries from 56 schools across 16 states, 65 students from 31 schools in 11 states advanced to Phase 2, from which the Top 10 emerged. Two acclaimed writers \u2014 O. Henry Prize recipient <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/jowhor-ile-adachioma-ezeano-win-o-henry-prizes-2021\/\">Adachioma Ezeano<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/isele-prizes-uchechukwu-peter-umezurike-esther-ifesinachi-okonkwo-named-winners\/\">Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo<\/a>, author of <em>The Tiny Things Are Heavier<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/60-notable-books-of-2025\/\">an OCM Best Book of 2025 honoree<\/a> \u2014 judged the entries. They picked the top three essayists: Juanita Douglas-Jombo, Pearl Okereke, and Sekinat Agbeleshola.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emecheta\u2019s colonial Lagos is a rich site of inquiry, and these students prove suited to the task. In Chapter Four, the novel\u2019s protagonist Nnu-Ego struggles to adjust to the harsh realities of urban life, hemmed in by the demands of marriage and motherhood, while her new husband Nnaife earns a meagre living as a domestic servant, leaving the family financially vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In editing the winning essays, I sought to preserve the students\u2019 voices, and the spirit of their work as budding writers. The edits therefore focused primarily on clarity, flow, and precision, whilst keeping their perspectives distinct. What makes these pieces compelling is not that they uncover novel postcolonial ideas: most of the concepts they engage with have been well-expounded on, albeit remain frighteningly relevant. The pleasure lies elsewhere \u2014 in seeing these ideas encountered anew by young Nigerians, and in witnessing students use reading as an occasion for thinking about the country they inhabit. Plus, a promising detail \u2014 in a nation where <a href=\"https:\/\/businessday.ng\/education\/article\/nigeria-cannot-build-its-future-while-millions-of-girls-remain-out-of-school\/?utm_source=auto-read-also&utm_medium=web&amp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">girls take up a disproportionate share, up to 60%, of its out-of-school population<\/a> \u2014 is that the top three winners are all female.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each of them approaches this world with keen sensitivity. Douglas-Jombo, who came in first place, reads the chapter as an account of \u201ccultural dislocation,\u201d in which indigeneity is crudely eclipsed by the religious and economic exploitation of British colonialism. First runner-up Okereke focuses more on Nnu-Ego\u2019s heteronomy amid \u201cthe merciless nature of colonial labour.\u201d Lagos reveals a malevolence Nnu-Ego is decidedly unsuited for, and Okereke animates the city as a callous, unfeeling thing, a microcosm of the wider cultural subjugation of the time. And in third place, Agbeleshola attempts a portrait of Nnaife that moves between insipid husband and unwitting victim of both colonial whims and Nnu Ego\u2019s own (mis)understanding of masculinity. Across the three essays, there is an astute representation of the colonial condition and its erosion of intimacy and identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Sabi Prize insists on reading, writing and curiosity in a zeitgeist that appears averse to it. In this flailing education system, it is exciting to see that young Nigerians remain resiliently intelligent, and are being rewarded for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"84\" height=\"84\" src=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/OCM-End-Mark-for-Culture.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13189\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Top Three Essays<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Third Place: \u201cPressed and Empty: The Dehumanizing Structures of Colonial Lagos in Emecheta\u2019s <em>The Joys of Motherhood<\/em>,\u201d by Sekinat Agbeleshola<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sekinat Agbeleshola, of City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, is a Year 12 scholar who has keen interests in African fiction and public speaking. As a student born in Lagos and living in Ogun, she has immersed herself in the cultural diversities of the two states. In her free time, she enjoys reading and critiquing diverse African texts. <em>Her favorite books include <\/em>T<\/em>omorrow Died Yesterday<em><em> by Chimeka Garricks, <\/em><\/em>Purple Hibiscus<em><em> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and <\/em><\/em>Gaslight<em><em> by Femi Kayode.<\/em><\/em> <em>In the future, she wants to become a lawyer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">In traditional societies like Ibuza, men are constructed within a social patriarchy. They are built to be dominant, aggressive, proud, independent and selfish. However, Nnaife defies this traditional patriarchy and is portrayed as the opposite of Nnu-Ego\u2019s “ideal man” \u2014 she deeply criticizes him and despises him for all he stands for: his physique, line of work, dressing, and the totality of his lifestyle. In her 1979 novel <em>The Joys of Motherhood, <\/em>Buchi Emecheta juxtaposes Nnu-Ego and Nnaife as contrasting elements to mirror the effects of Lagos\u2019 social structure on people, as well as societal and marital expectations. Through their marriage and experiences, the author depicts Lagos as an element of change, and shows how Western influence is not violently imposed, but gradually seeps into the weaknesses of indigenous culture.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nnaife is as much a product of Lagos as he is of tradition; the city shapes his routines, his priorities, and even his emotions, making him a man defined more by place than by personality. Nnu-Ego narrates her first night and morning with him where he is revealed in an inhumane light through his actions. He gives her no time to rest after a four-day journey, pouncing on her thereafter. The next morning, he does not bother to check on her, and instead tells her to cook, and leaves for work immediately. Just like a machine, Nnaife shows a lack of emotion, particularly empathy. Emecheta portrays Senior Owulum as a foil to Nnaife. Instinctively, he reacts to Nnu-Ego\u2019s exhaustion and sympathizes with her; however, Nnaife ignores and proceeds for work, prioritizing duty over humanity. Through this, Nnaife exposes how Lagos rewards efficiency over empathy, and illustrates his loss of emotional instinct. Another instance further demonstrates this. His schedule gives him only half a day off on Sundays, leaving no time for him and his wife. Rather than rest, he is required to go to church by his employees. This suggests that Lagos absorbs even spiritual life into its economic labour, because even in moments meant for spiritual reflection, men are absorbed into routines by the same system that strips them of their humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, Nnaife\u2019s position as a washer-man reinforces the mechanical nature of his masculinity because just like the machine, he functions automatically and is at his employers\u2019 every beck and call. Emecheta underscores this by detailing his movements: <em>So regularly timed was his daily progression that one could tell the hour of the day by what he was doing.<\/em> Emecheta\u2019s use of the oxymoron “grand title” is also used to convey the irony and reality of his position. His work is subsidiary, repetitive and feminine as opposed to the patriarchal “pride” and “independence” of Ibuza men which Nnu-Ego expected. Nnu-Ego\u2019s description of his soft, unimpressive body symbolically identifies with the machine he operates \u2014 a tool for repetitive tasks. Without fail, Emecheta uses Nnu-Ego\u2019s pain towards her husband\u2019s job and the tactless pride he takes in it \u2014 which she considers demeaning and too soft for a man \u2014 to mirror the lost sense of masculinity in Chapter four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simultaneously, if Nnaife is rendered a machine by Lagos, Nnu-Ego is forced to become his fuel. She mourns her idea of traditional, village love where lovers had time to linger over each other. She realizes that their work schedules in Lagos force them further apart. The tumult in Lagos leaves no time for such intimacy, as their basic needs would otherwise go unattended. Emecheta portrays men not as a literal description but a social metaphor. Through rigid economic structures and urban alienation, masculinity becomes mechanical rather than human. It strips men and women alike of their personal identity, pushing survival over compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally important, Lagos\u2019 geographic structures serve more as spaces of labour than actual homes. It creates an atmosphere in which relationships resemble business transactions more than mutual feelings and emotional connections. Predictably, Nnaife and Nnu-Ego\u2019s marriage serves as a transaction: she wants a baby and he just wants a doormat wife. Moreover, the use of “exaggerated leave” for the neighbours\u2019 exit after welcoming her reveals the exposure and vulnerability of her home structure as well as her lack of privacy in the space. On Saturdays she locks her doors which signifies her trying to carve out some sort of personal space and leisure for herself in the crowded urban space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Furthermore, Nnaife rushes her to meet his community where she learns from the women how to start a petty trade business and earn some money to take care of herself. Soon enough, her business overrides her time because it soon becomes a necessity when Nnaife\u2019s “machine-like” labour doesn\u2019t actually provide enough. As a result of the routine-driven identity, her body fails to rest in key and demanding moments such as the pregnancy and labour for her first son, Ngozi, where she continues to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chapter Four presents Lagos as not just any city, but an embodiment of economic struggle, time pressures, societal standards, and a driving force of the story. Emecheta shows how this urban exploitative setting makes men emotionally detached figures, driven by economic survival while losing morality. In other words, money is also an active tool that governs everyday life. It serves as a blindfold, an illusion. A false allure to draw men and women alike from their families and turn them into slaves for wages that glitter like fortune to them.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, Nnaife remains a static character as he is unable to evolve from the structures and systems that tie him down and erode his sense of manhood, while Nnu-Ego is a dynamic character shaped by her experiences. Thus, in Chapter Four, Emecheta masterfully describes the geographic crowding and economic ruthlessness of colonial Lagos, which do not merely shape lives; they dismantle humanity, reprogramming men into unfeeling machines and reducing relationships to mere transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Second Place: \u201cThe Lagos Life: Labour and Loss in Buchi Emecheta\u2019s <em>The<\/em> <em>Joys of Motherhood<\/em>,\u201d by Pearl Okereke<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pearl Okereke, of The Hillside School, Abuja<\/em><strong><em>,<\/em><\/strong><em> is a student writer currently residing in Abuja. She writes about fictional characters and contemporary issues. She has previously participated in the EFCC essay competition and the Cambridge Rethink essay competition. <em>Her favorite books include <\/em><\/em>Tomorrow I Become a Woman<em><em> by Aiwanose Odafen, <\/em><\/em>Adanna<em><em> by Adesuwa O\u2019man Nwokedi, and <\/em><\/em>The Selection<em> <em>series by Kiera Cass.<\/em><\/em> <em>She is an aspiring diplomat and intends to specialize in international law.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">In Buchi Emecheta\u2019s acclaimed novel <em>Joys of Motherhood, <\/em>the suffocating and cruel nature of colonial Lagos is not one that manifests through chaos and strife. It is advertised as a land flowing with milk and honey, where the Black man and the White man stand on even footing, where all Nigerians have the chance to become someone. Only upon arrival do we realize that the reality is nowhere near as bliss and much more difficult to escape. Lagos life introduces itself under the guise of opportunity. It masks its tiresome conditions with the promise of survival. In the fourth chapter of the novel, we see that Lagos\u2019 cruelty does not discriminate based on class, culture or gender; she is a ruthless mistress to whom all who enter must bow, turning men into “machines” and women into tools of compliance. Nnu Ego\u2019s experiences as the wife of a “machine” show the cost of Lagos life, as well as the weight of colonialism, and how it is paid with the hefty currency of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this chapter, we see that Nnaife is subdued by the energy and life force of colonial Lagos, making him a shell of a man and an unimaginable shock to his new bride Nnu Ego, a woman born and raised in the communal life of Ibuza. The narrow compounds, shallow spaces and constant noise fade into the background as Nnu Ego is faced with the reality of having to marry a man such as Nnaife, one she believes to not be a man at all. \u201cThey stopped being men long ago. Now they are machines,\u201d a character says. This statement is a pivotal moment in this chapter, where the violent break suffered by Nnu Ego when she was brought to Lagos is put into words by her friend Cordelia. It also reveals the haunting observation that Nnaife has forever been altered by the life he lives while working under the white man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lagos, in this chapter, possesses an identity of its own. It is actively involved in the hardships of its occupants, from its physical structure, which is characterized by congestion and a lack of space, to its economic layout, which is built on constant servitude and a semi-permanent state of toeing the poverty line. In Nnu Ego\u2019s new life, she lacks privacy, rest and peace in her domestic life. The city\u2019s terrain is made up of restrictions, constantly weighing down on its inhabitants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the chapter begins with Nnu Ego playing the role of dutiful wife, soon, even she succumbs to the weight Lagos\u2019 economy lays on her family. The city is built to favour the colonizers, its economy built on the backs of the indigenous. These conditions are specifically formulated to exhaust Africans and strip them of their dignity, making them malleable towards the Europeans\u2019 purposes. Men like Nnaife are victims of this cycle. His work as a washer-man leaves him no room for personal fulfillment or advancements in his domestic life. His wages are insufficient and this inadequacy forces him to continue the cycle of Lagos\u2019 cruelty while leaving his family in want. Nnu Ego\u2019s dreams of motherhood are riddled with anxiety by this new reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The intersection of Lagos\u2019 geography and economy redefines family life. In Nnu Ego\u2019s beloved home of Ibuza, children represent wealth, continuity, fulfillment, and prestige. In Lagos, children are nothing more than another mouth to feed. Lagos becomes a paradox, where traditional standards are ignored and hated in favour of fuelling a cash-driven economy. The city has no space for life \u2014 it only encourages survival and endurance. Nnu Ego soon begins to wonder who the force of Lagos would turn her into, how she would walk on this terrain without the help of her husband, and where her dreams of motherhood stand amidst all this. The power of Lagos had turned what was supposed to be a beautiful married life into a game of survival, with Nnaife as an unwitting catalyst due to his drive to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is under this context that Cordelia\u2019s statement finds its power. This metaphor exemplifies the stark degradation of African men by the colonial labour systems. The traditional values which defined men by their nobility, strength of character, authority and responsibility have been forgotten, and, in their place, work and productivity-based ideologies have been put in place as the yardsticks used to measure how much of a man one is. The value of their humanity is replaced by the measure of their usefulness, and they become vessels made only for labour. This life ultimately drains their emotions and spirit, and in doing so, leaves them as “machines.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This new identity impacts their lives, the lives of their families, and the lives of everyone around them. Exhaustion trumps affection. Routine replaces intimacy. Identity is drowned out by responsibility. The permanently restrictive nature of their physical environment, joined with the trap of their survival-fueled economy, leaves an ecosystem constantly working against and damaging itself. In this parasitic ecosystem, no human can survive. Only machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Titled \u201cFirst Shocks of Motherhood,\u201d Chapter Four observes the tension between traditionality and modernity, reflecting that one can rarely coexist with the other. Nnu Ego\u2019s experiences under the economic and physical struggles of Lagos leads her to abandon her beliefs in ancestral blessing, communal support, and fertility, due to the fact that those beliefs offer little comfort in Lagos. Although she adopts a new faith in Christianity, the hunt for money replaces her spirituality, and her cultural dislocation enhances her sense of loss, as she exists in the space between a world she once knew and a new world she has no place in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, Lagos life is symbolic to the effect of colonialism all over Nigeria, the merciless nature of colonial labour, and the alienation from one\u2019s own culture caused by the Europeans in Africa. In a matter of weeks, Nnu Ego\u2019s opinion of men \u2014 which had been set high by her father, Agbadi, the last of the great hunters \u2014 had been reduced to considering them as mere machines. She is also faced with a system that strips individuals of their joy and dignity, forcing them to pay for their survival with the essence of their soul. When a man is stripped of his very soul, what then remains?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>First Place: \u201cSurvival Over Autonomy: Colonial Pressures in Emecheta\u2019s Nigeria,\u201d by Juanita Douglas-Jombo<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Juanita Douglas-Jombo, of Lyc\u00e9e Fran\u00e7ais Louis Pasteur de Lagos, is an SS3 student born in Port Harcourt and living in Lagos. When she’s not teaching herself to draw, sing or write, she\u2019s reading up on world history and fiction. <em>Her favorite books include <\/em><\/em>Things Fall Apart<em><em> by Chinua Achebe, <\/em><\/em>Death Comes as the End<em><em> by Agatha Christie, <\/em><\/em>The Magician\u2019s Nephew<em><em> by C. S. Lewis, and <\/em><\/em>The Secret of Moon Castle<em><em> by Enid Blyton.<\/em><\/em> <em>She aspires to be an international lawyer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">Chapter Four of Buchi Emecheta\u2019s <em>The Joys of Motherhood<\/em> explores the dynamics of colonial exploitation through religious means with the struggle of a yielding populace. Much like the country during the colonial era, the Nigerian people served merely as a means to an end\u2014 there was no vision for this territory\u2019s future, as its only function was to serve as an economical cornucopia of natural resources and labour. The Nigerian people were an assembly of vessels to be imbibed with religious values that the White man couldn\u2019t be bothered to follow himself. The question of obstinacy was non-existent, and the subdued people were all too ready to kowtow before their masters and follow any unknown God at their behest. Chapter Four exposes the deplorable state of colonial Nigeria: A British territory only worth its arable land, and a people reduced to instruments of economic exploitation and religious indoctrination, who have no choice but to value survival over autonomy, highlighting the hypocrisy of colonial rulers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Meers and Mrs. Meers are representative of the colonial master in this example. Dr. Meers is seemingly accomplished, with many workers to tend his home and a job at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Yaba. Mrs. Meers, his wife, keeps the house in order, instructing the workers. Both have a distinct air of distaste for the indigenous people, but Mrs. Meers is more tactful about it. In fact, hers is more patronizing, even having a certain \u201cair\u201d and voice with which she addresses the natives. She tries to stand up for Nnaife upon her husband\u2019s insults, but this does little to appease Nnaife, who sees her as insolent and disrespectful to her husband. Dr. Meers calls Nnaife a baboon, deriving a sadistic pleasure from an insult he knows the native will not comprehend. The old couple, despite being at loggerheads, represent two sides of the same coin \u2014 both see themselves as superior to their workers, and while one tries to show them some grace, she still fails to recognize that she is an enabler in the exploitative system, which is something her husband couldn\u2019t be bothered to acknowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ironically, the couple embody the opposite of what they enforce upon their workers. The employees must go to church and learn the Christian customs, but one of the defining factors of Christianity, which is charity and the equality of man, is lost on the couple. They withdraw from their fellow \u201cbelievers,\u201d unwilling to lay down their pride and investigate the festivities in their very compound. Instead, the pagans show hospitality in making merry with their fellow brothers, proving that despite the new rules enforced onto them, their traditional values still ring true. Perhaps this is because according to the religion, as iterated by Nnaife, his and Nnu Ego\u2019s marriage is far from being a proper union, as they have not been joined before God. This even inhibits Nnu Ego from rejoicing in her pregnancy, which according to their culture has been established as her very life\u2019s purpose. Never mind the fact that this culture, among other Nigerian ones, have Supreme beings in their own right, such as Olodumare, Chineke\/Chukwu, or Osanobua. Thus, the people have been illegitimized on their own soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, not only have their beliefs been modified, but their priorities have also shifted. Nnu Ego laments at the emasculation of the men in the city, whereas these men cannot afford to pay this any mind.  Rather, they have developed an indifferent attitude, that of one whose mind has been dulled to his present situation. Despite the abolishment of slavery, Nnaife\u2019s demeanor fits into that of a black working slave class. He says, \u201cWe work for them and they pay us. His calling me a baboon does not make me one.\u201d His lack of protest only exacerbates Nnu Ego\u2019s culture shock, so much so that she begins to ironically assimilate and imitate the mundane lifestyle, and even after the birth of her son, she disregards her customs entirely, for <em>\u2026who knew her in Lagos? She was just a mother among so many thousands of others. It did not matter<\/em>. Thus, Nnu Ego becomes another piece on the board, enthralled by the shillings in her pocket. In the city, cultural norms have no place of importance, and survival leaves no time for village traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this clime, social pressures crumble under the weight of their economic counterparts. While cultural erosion could be met with some backlash, like in Chinua Achebe\u2019s <em>Things Fall Apart<\/em>, economic hardship put an end to any sentiment of revolt. Natives are unable to accumulate wealth, and are forced to engage in urban wage labour, like the character of Nnaife, whose \u201cdays off\u201d consist of a few meagre hours on Sunday afternoons. Men like Nnaife have to leave the village in order to seek greener pastures in the city, stealing time from proper marriage talks or other community events due to arduous journeys. Even in the city, Nnaife and Nnu Ego still conform to the values of the colonizers in order to keep their position, travelling to church till it becomes a chore, not relishing in one\u2019s motherhood through her own customs, and yet not minding much, because survival takes precedence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, the fourth chapter of Emecheta\u2019s novel elucidates how Nigeria was not just a site of economic exploitation, but also a place of cultural dislocation. Through figures like the Meers couple, she exposes the hypocrisy of colonial values and their erasure of indigenous practices through religion, and the economic hardship that forced the natives into compliance with a slow but sure cultural erasure. Nnu Ego\u2019s gradual transformation reflects the donning of a reality where survival, not autonomy or cultural pride, becomes the new celebration. The possibility of leisure, and the soothing life that could have been are stripped from the people, leaving them only a time of endurance, and the celebration of small victories in the grander scheme of things. \u2666<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-sabi-prize-for-secondary-school-students-in-nigeria-announces-inaugural-winners\/\">Announcing the Sabi Prize<\/a>, for Secondary School Students in Nigeria<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>If you love what you just read, please consider making <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/donate?hosted_button_id=J2UCTA67ZM3YC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a PayPal donation<\/a> to enable us to publish more like it.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Essays & Book Excerpts from <em>Open Country Mag<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 Disability and the Grammar of Presence in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/disability-and-silence-in-versus-versus\/\">Versus Versus<\/a><\/em>, by Iheoma Uzomba<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/tolu-daniel-guest-curates-open-country-mags-2025-notable-books-list\/\">Introduction<\/a> to the 60 Notable Books of 2025, by Tolu Daniel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 The Ahistorical Racial Polemic of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/in-conclave-a-dangerous-ahistorical-racial-polemic-of-africanness\/\">Conclave<\/a><\/em>, by Otosirieze<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 Thinking Through <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/thinking-through-tremor\/\"><em>Tremor<\/em><\/a>, by Reyumeh Ejue<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 \u201cOur Literature Has Died Again\u201d: <a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/our-literature-has-died-again-nigerian-writing-in-the-era-of-the-nomadists\/\">Nigerian Writing<\/a> in the Era of the Nomadists, by Kanyinsola Olorunnisola<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/river-spirit-by-leila-aboulela-excerpt\/\">River Spirit<\/a><\/em>, by Leila Aboulela<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-nigerian-oppression-as-chinua-achebe-would-see-it\/\">The Nigerian Oppression, as Chinua Achebe Would See It<\/a>,\u201d by Emmanuel Esomnofu<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/the-quality-of-mercy-by-siphiwe-gloria-ndlovu-excerpt\/\">The Quality of Mercy<\/a><\/em>, by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wole-soyinka-on-the-deep-friendships-of-his-life\/\">Between Starshine and Clay<\/a><\/em>, by Sarah Ladipo Manyika<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/revel-again-in-the-beautiful-absurd\/\">Revel, Again, in the Beautiful Absurd<\/a>,\u201d by Ernest Ogunyemi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/black-and-female-by-tsitsi-dangarembga-excerpt\/\">Black and Female<\/a><\/em>, by Tsitsi Dangarembga<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/sankofa-by-chibundu-onuzo-excerpt\/\">Sankofa<\/a><\/em>, by Chibundu Onuzo<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/we-once-belonged-to-the-sea-by-diriye-osman-excerpt\/\">We Once Belonged to the Sea<\/a><\/em>, by Diriye Osman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/biracial-britain-by-remi-adekoya-excerpt\/\">Biracial Britain: A Different Way of Looking at Race<\/a><\/em>, by Remi Adekoya<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 <em><a href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/excerpt-the-fugitives-by-jamal-mahjoub\/\">The Fugitives<\/a><\/em>, by Jamal Mahjoub<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Up to 220 Nigerian senior secondary school students entered for the inaugural Sabi Prize, worth \u20a62.95 million ($2,165). Their task? To analyze a chapter from Buchi Emecheta’s\u00a0<em>The Joys of Motherhood<\/em>. Read the top three essays, judged by Adachioma Ezeano, winner of the O. Henry Prize, and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo, author of <em>The Tiny Things are Heavier<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":26058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mo_disable_npp":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[140],"tags":[1205,1204],"writers":[629,623],"country":[34],"publication":[510],"class_list":["post-26042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","tag-the-sabi-prize","tag-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing","writers-adachioma-ezeano","writers-esther-ifesinachi-okonkwo","country-nigeria","publication-essays"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Open Country Mag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"697\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Paula Willie-Okafor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Paula Willie-Okafor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"20 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb\"},\"headline\":\"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":4264,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png\",\"keywords\":[\"The Sabi Prize\",\"The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00\",\"description\":\"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png\",\"width\":1440,\"height\":697,\"caption\":\"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/books\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"description\":\": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Open Country Mag\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/09\\\/OCM-LOGO-20.png\",\"width\":2697,\"height\":555,\"caption\":\"Open Country Mag\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb\",\"name\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor\"},\"description\":\"Paula Willie-Okafor is a staff writer at Open Country Mag. For the magazine, she has written features, news stories, reviews of books and films, and longform Profiles of writers, including cover stories on Leila Aboulela and Chinelo Okparanta. She was a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she was custodian of The Writers' Community (TWC). She is now studying Media and Communication at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja. Her writing has appeared in Kissing Dynamite Magazine and Praxis Magazine.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/opencountrymag.com\\\/author\\\/paula-willie-okafor\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag","description":"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag","og_description":"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.","og_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/","og_site_name":"Open Country Mag","article_published_time":"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1440,"height":697,"url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Paula Willie-Okafor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Paula Willie-Okafor","Est. reading time":"20 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/"},"author":{"name":"Paula Willie-Okafor","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb"},"headline":"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing","datePublished":"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/"},"wordCount":4264,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","keywords":["The Sabi Prize","The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing"],"articleSection":["Books"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/","name":"The Sabi Prize: Read the Top Nigerian Secondary School Essays : Open Country Mag","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","datePublished":"2026-08-18T20:38:42+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-23T17:22:11+00:00","description":"Read the winning essays from the Sabi Prize for Nigerian secondary school students, judged by Adachioma Ezeano and Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","width":1440,"height":697,"caption":"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/ocm-presents-essays-from-the-sabi-prize-for-critical-reading-and-writing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books","item":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/books\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"OCM Presents: Essays from The Sabi Prize for Critical Reading and Writing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","name":"Open Country Mag","description":": Africa : Books, Film and TV, Culture","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#organization","name":"Open Country Mag","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/OCM-LOGO-20.png","width":2697,"height":555,"caption":"Open Country Mag"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/11f8788ec6e1d18329c5aa856133b0fb","name":"Paula Willie-Okafor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bd789fd6847d982de43ea01b63456afc75f996f3df792419837a19486f7b4093?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Paula Willie-Okafor"},"description":"Paula Willie-Okafor is a staff writer at Open Country Mag. For the magazine, she has written features, news stories, reviews of books and films, and longform Profiles of writers, including cover stories on Leila Aboulela and Chinelo Okparanta. She was a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she was custodian of The Writers' Community (TWC). She is now studying Media and Communication at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja. Her writing has appeared in Kissing Dynamite Magazine and Praxis Magazine.","url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/author\/paula-willie-okafor\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-Sabi-Prize-Website-flyer.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26042"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26042\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26113,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26042\/revisions\/26113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26042"},{"taxonomy":"writers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writers?post=26042"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=26042"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opencountrymag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=26042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]