Among the nominees are three Nigerians: Michael Agugom, Innocent Chizaram Ilo and Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor. The theme for this current competition, announced in 2017, is Identity abbreviated ID, which has dual meanings. On one hand, it stands for Identity and on the other hand, it stands for the psychoanalytic concept of the identity, according to the organisers.
Writers were required to submit innovative short stories that explored the theme but were not limited to identity especially with relation to themes of gender identity and sexuality.
This year, instead of the regular six writers, nine writers were shortlisted. The selected works are:
The Geography of Sunflowers by Michelle Angwenyi (Kenya)
Limbo, by Innocent Chizaram Ilo (Nigeria)
Sew My Mouth by Cherrie Kandie (Kenya)
South of Samora by Farai Mudzingwa (Zimbabwe)
All Our Lives by Tochukwu Emmanuel Okafor (Nigeria)
The House on the Corner by Lester Walbrugh (South Africa)
God Skin by Michael Yee (South Africa)
The winner and two runners-up will be announced on 21 June 2018. The longlisted stories will appear in ID: New Short Fiction From Africa, edited by Nebila Abdulmelik, Otieno Owino and Helen Moffett, an anthology to be published by New Internationalist.
Congratulations to the finalists.