PRE-DEGREE/CERTIFICATE REGISTRATION/SCHOOL FEES

CALL FOR SUBMISSION:2017 GABRIEL OKARA PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

The Institute of Arts and Culture of the University of Port Harcourt in collaboration with the Celi and Joe Ajienka Professorial Chair for Arts and Culture, Faculty of Humanities, The American Corner and Institute of Niger Delta Studies, University of Port Harcourt, is organizing Gabriel Okara Annual Literary Festival in honour of Dr. Gabriel Okara, the first renowned English-Language black African poet, scheduled to take place from 25th – 28th April, 2017.

NOTE: The Gabriel Okara Prize will be awarded to a genre of literature each year:
    Poetry (2017), Prose (2018) and Drama (2019).

FOUR PRIZES:

Gabriel Okara Literary Award    =    N200,000

YOUNG WRITERS AWARD
1st Prize                =    N 100,000
2nd Prize                =    N 50,000
3rd Prize                  =     N 25,000

LITERARY COMPETITIONS
Beginning from this year’s festival, the Institute of Arts and Culture of the University of Port Harcourt will administer two literary prizes every year:
1. Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry, 2. Nigerian Young Poets’ Award.

GUIDELINES FOR GABRIEL OKARA PRIZE
•    The prize will be awarded for a collection of poems published a year prior to the award.
•    The collection must be at least 50 pages long and must be in English.
•    The competition is open to all Nigerian poets (of all ages) at home or abroad.
•    Only a single title is acceptable for each entrant/poet in the competition.
•    Entries can be submitted by either authors or publishers.
•    Six hard copies are to be submitted, with a cover letter (specifying which prize you are competing for, your postal/residential and email addresses, phone number) and in an envelope clearly marked “Gabriel Okara Prize 2017,” to the Institute of Arts and Culture, University of Port Harcourt, East-West Road, Choba, Port Harcourt.
GUIDELINES FOR NIGERIAN YOUNG POETS’ AWARD
•    The prize is for an unpublished manuscript of 5 poems (only) written in English.
•    The prize is open for every Nigerian poet not above the age of 30.
•    Entries must be original work not published previously in print or online.
•    Poems must not exceed 30 lines (excluding title) but can be on any subject matter.
•    Under no circumstances will poems be changed or corrected once submitted.
•    Entries should be single-spaced (between lines) and double-spaced (between stanzas).
•    Entries must be in Times New Roman font 12.
•    Every submission must include an index cover page that contains the name, nationality, country of birth, residential address, email address and telephone number of the poet.
•    Every submission must include a signed ‘’Letter of Authority” avowing that the poems are original and authorizing the Institute to publish the poems on its print and online platforms for the purposes of promotion.
•    Entries are to be emailed as a single word document attachment (not PDF) to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
•    Prizes will be given to the first, second and third best poets in the competition.

GENERAL RULES
•    The closing date for entries into both competitions is 13 March, 2013.
•     The decision of the judges is final.
•    The organizers reserve the right to withhold the award on the counsel of the jury.
•    Finalists will be notified on time and encouraged to attend the Award Night ceremony.
•    Winners will be announced at the Award Night ceremony.

2017 GABRIEL OKARA LITERARY FESTIVAL

SUB-THEMES/CALL FOR PAPERS
1)    Theory & Criticism in Nigerian Literature
2)    Oral Tradition/ Autobiography in Nigerian Literature
3)    Arts and Culture Management and Nigerian Literature
4)    Gender Discourse in Nigerian Literature
5)    Children Literature in Nigeria
6)    Ecocriticism and Nigerian Literature
7)    The Niger Delta Question and Nigerian Literature
8)    The New Media and Nigerian Literature
9)    Nollywood and Nigerian Literature
10)    Governance, Politics and Nigerian Literature
11)    Stand-up Comedy and Nigerian Literature
12)    Publishing and Nigerian Literature
13)    Theatre Practice and Nigerian Literature.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACT/ FULL PAPERS

•    Abstract should not be more than 250 words.
•    Abstract must include name(s) of author(S), institutional affiliation, phone number(s) and email address.
•    Papers are to be written using the Times New Roman and font size 12 points, 1.5 line pacing and Modern Language Association(MLA) Style Sheet in not more than 12 pages
•    Abstracts should be submitted in electronics copy to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

•    Participants are to come along to the festival venue with 10 hard copies of their completed papers.

•    March 17 – Submission of Abstract.
•    March 30 – Submission of full paper.

Festival Registration
    Local participants         -  N18,000
    Students             -  N 5,000
    International participants     -  USD 100

Registration fees covers festival bag, lunch, paper presentations, book of abstract etc.
    Workshop fee – N 20,000 per participant.
Venue for Registration: Ebitimi Banigo Hall, University of Port Harcourt.

ACCOUNT NAME: Gabriel Okara Literary Festival. Access Bank , Uniport Branch
ACCOUNT NO:     0725748115

For enquiries contact:

Dr. Benjamin Ejiofor  -     08033407647
Mr. Sunday Edum      -     08063907546

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