Two Nigerians, Chigozie Obioma And Bernardine Evaristo, Make Shortlist Of 2019 Booker Prize

Nigerians Author, Chigozie Obioma and Bernardine Evaristo, a British-Nigerian have been listed among the six possible winners of the  2019 Booker Prize.

The International Booker Prize is an international literary award hosted in the United Kingdom.

The 2019 shortlist was announced on Tuesday at a press conference at the British Library in London.

Obioma and Bernardine Evaristo are listed among authors like Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Elif Shafak and US author Lucy Ellmann.

Bernardine Evaristo, a British-Nigerian, made the list with her eighth book, while Chigozie Obioma for his second novel, “An Orchestra of Minorities.”

Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other” follows the lives and struggles of twelve different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years.

Obioma’s “An Orchestra of Minorities” tells the story of Chinonso, a young poultry farmer whose soul is ignited when he sees a woman attempting to jump from a highway bridge.

The winner, whittled down from 151 submissions and a longlist of 13, will be announced on 14 October.

“Like all great literature, these books teem with life, with a profound and celebratory humanity,” said Peter Florence, chair of this year’s judges.