Nigerian-British author, Irenosen Okojie, has emerged the winner of the 2020 AKO Caine Prize for African writing, for her short story Grace Jones.
Okojie took to her social media page to break the good news on Monday.
“Beyond delighted & overwhelmed that my story Grace Jones has won the 2020 @CainePrize Mind blowing. Massive thanks to the judges & the prize for this honour. Big love to @EliseDillsworth @SharLovegrove @dialoguebooks for their unwavering belief in my voice,” she wrote on twitter.
The Caine Prize is an annual £10,000 award which celebrates original short story by an African writer published in English language.
It was named after Late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of the Booker Prize Committee.
Grace Jones, the winning novel focuses on the story of Sidra, who had to deal with trauma and impersonation after her whole family died in a fire that destroyed their London flat.
Who is Okojie?
Speaking on her win, Okojie stated that she’s passionate about writing experimental fiction on black women.
“I write weird experimental fiction. And I think it’s really important to centre experimental fiction by a black woman like myself, because for a long time. I felt like I was operating on the fringes. People were often quite surprised by my writing, just in terms of subject matter and style,” she said.
“I’m really passionate about centering the stories of black women and people of colour. It’s important to show their lived experiences,” she said. “But I like to do it couched within these darkly fantastical worlds, pushing the boundaries of form, ideas and language, so the reader has a different experience.”
Irenosen Okojie is the author of Nudibranch, Butterfly Fish and Speak Gigantular. In addition to the 2020 AKO Caine Prize, she won the Betty Trask Awardor for her book Butterfly Fish. She was also shortlisted for the Edinburgh International First Book Award.
