In respect of the recently unveiled longlist of 11 for the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature, the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) in collaboration with the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), will stage the 16th edition of the CORA-NPL Book Party on Sunday, August 3, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event, which begins promptly at 1:00 pm, is strictly by invitation, though other interested guests could join virtually.
The Book Party, which debuted in 1996 as a special iteration of CORA’s literary activism mission, has evolved into a premier platform for celebrating and showcasing the best works longlisted for the annual Nigeria Prize for Literature. Since its inauguration in 2004 by NLNG, the Nigeria Prize for Literature has become the most prestigious and financially rewarding literary award on the African continent, aimed at encouraging excellence and creativity in Nigerian literature.
In a statement released on Wednesday by CORA programme officer, Samuel Osaze, the remarkable quality of the 2025 entries is reflected in the caliber of writers on this year’s longlist.
“Out of the 252 entries received this year, as earlier announced by the organisers, the NPL Advisory Board must have had the arduous task of selecting a longlist of 11,” Osaze said. “The number of submissions has been described as ‘unprecedented.’ Given the steady growth of the Nigerian literary community, it’s no surprise that this year’s longlist features highly competitive, heavyweight entries.”
He added, “The Book Party represents the first stage of public engagement with the longlisted writers. It is a platform that continues to uphold its essence in bringing the writers’ works under the lens of public discourse and critical engagement. Truly, it’s the year of the heavyweights!”
Why the Book Party
“Since 2010, the CORA has been a critical force in the projection of the longlisted works to the attention of the public. This is through the annual CORA-NPL BOOK PARTY. To CORA, the eleven on the longlist are the very best titles and writers in the genre this season. It means that, out of the so many (over 250) entries for the year’s edition of the Prize, the eleven titles are exceptional, and, any of them could indeed clinch the coveted Prize. The objective of the Book Party as manifested in the past editions is to ensure that we bring the longlisted writers and books face-to-face with the literary audiences, so that we could create conversations around the work and the author. In its 16th edition, the Book Party has become a respectable platform through which the NPL longlisted writers are engaged on their work by the public. This is the core reason we initiated the CORA-NPL Book Party, essentially to celebrate the accomplishment of the author, and celebrate their individual work on the milestone”, stated CORA Programme directorate.
A shortlist of three finalists will be announced subsequently and the eventual winner in October.
