MILESTONES
Cole, Diala,
Ngene Emerged Winners@ Nigeria LNG Limited 2018.
By Leo
Ezekiel
Dr. Soji
Cole who works as an instructor of play writing and theatre sociology at the Department
of Theatre Arts of the University of Ibadan clinched the Nigeria prize for
literature 2018 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos and the book
that gave him the streaks of winning is titled “EMBERS”. Dr Cole was shortlisted alongside with two writers DENJA ABUDULLAHI the author of DEATH AND THE KING’S GREY HAIR and AKANJI NASIRU the author of THE RALLY. Professor Isidore Diala is a
professor of African Literature of the department of English, Imo state
University, Owerri, Nigeria and he is the winner of the Nigeria prize for
literary criticism for the year 2018 of the Nigeria LNG Limited and Dr Peter
Ngene who is an assistant professor in the organic chemistry and catalysis Group
of the Institute for Nanomaterial’s Science, Utrecht University, The Netherlands,
he is the winner of the Nigeria prize for science 2018 award of the Nigeria LGN
Limited. 
Three other
nominees were shortlisted alongside with him and they were as follows; Adesoji Adesewa, Frank Nwoye Okafor and
Adeola Oluagbenga Balogun. The award of 2018 Nigeria LGN Limited gathered
the crème-de-la-crème of the society, the academic, politicians, business
class, diplomatic corps, the media and all that. Professor Diala says that he
dedicated his award to his late mother of blessed memory who was only primary
school teacher adding that later mother encouraged him, and his two siblings a
boy and a girl to always work hard and read their books regularly.
He says that
his late mother encouraged him to regularly write pieces and from there he developed
more love for reading and writing.
Speaking
again he thanked the Nigeria LGN Limited for considering his work the best of
shortlisted works adding that with his second winning of the award that (I will always strive hard to make sure that
this heavy confidence and believe reposed in me would not be wished away).
Dr Cole told
the eclatic audience that when he submitted the manuscript of his book “EMBERS” to his publisher, that
immediately his publisher prophesied that the book would definitely win an
award adding that the cost of publishing was on high side for him, but, however
he says that the publisher advised him that he could pay installmentally and he
said of a truth, that was what he did till he paid off the bills.
He says that
when he was asked to send in the names of five persons that may attend the 2018
award ceremony with him, he said he was not too sure of the outcome of the
judges, but to God be the glory that his ”EMBERS”
book finally emerged as a winner for the literature prize 2018 of the Nigeria
LGN Limited.
Professor
Ayo Banjo former Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan and now Professor
Emeritus chaired the selection committee and each of the winners COLE, DIALA AND NGENE went home with a
handsome $100, 000, 00 US dollars.
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