Dele Meiji Fatunla has been announced as the new Administrator of the Caine Prize for African Writing. He will take up the role on 1 June 2018.

Formerly Head of Communications at the Royal African Society, Dele will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Caine Prize, liaising with trustees, writers and key partners in Africa, the UK and the US. Working with publishers, schools, and literary and cultural organisations in Africa and around the world, Dele will play an important role in the efforts of the Caine Prize to promote contemporary African literature and African writers, and to develop emerging literary talent on the continent.

The shortlist for the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing has been announced, showcasing a diversity of themes and a wealth of literary talent. The five-writer shortlist was unveiled by this year’s Chair of judges, award-winning Ethiopian-American author, Dinaw Mengestu.

Dinaw Mengestu, former Lannan Foundation Chair in Poetics at Georgetown University, said: “The best short stories have a subtle, almost magical quality to them. They can contain through the rigour of their imagination and the care of their prose more than just a glimpse into the complicated emotional, political, and social fabric of their characters’ lives.

The Caine Prize for African Writing, now in its nineteenth year, has received 147 qualifying short stories from 20 African countries. This year’s entries sees a diversity of stories from across the continent, with representation from writers representing North, East, Southern and West African countries.

Description

The Caine Prize for African Writing is one of the world’s leading literary awards. With offices in Central London, the Caine Prize works with publishers, schools, literary and cultural organisations in Africa and the diaspora to promote African writers.