Morland Writing Scholarship 2017 Shortlist

November 23, 2017

The Miles Morland Foundation is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2017 Morland Writing Scholarships. Of the twenty-one names, 6six are from South Africa, four each from Nigeria and Kenya, two from Cameroon and one each from Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Gambia and Botswana.

It is always difficult to choose the shortlist. The standard of writing increases every year, making the pool to choose from ever wider. We had nearly 550 entries this year, is our highest number to date, with writers applying from 30 countries. We are excited by the array of talent we have on our shortlist, ranging from writers in their twenties to one in his seventies. Once more we have seen anthe energy, originality, and wit in our entries that characterises so much of modern African writing. We are also heartened to see six non-fiction candidates on the shortlist from one last year.

The judges, with Ellah Wakatama Allfrey from Zimbabwe in the chair, assisted by Femi Terry from Sierra Leone, and Muthoni Garland from Kenya, will meet on Dec 4th to select the 2017 Scholars. Their names will be announced shortly afterwards. Writers awarded a fiction scholarship will each receive £18,000, paid over the course of a year to allow them to take time off to write the book they have proposed. Non-fiction writers may be given £27,000 over the course of eighteen months, if they need to do additional research.

Shortlist for the Morland Writing Scholarships for 2017:

Alemseged Tesfai – Eritrea
Bryony Rheam – Zimbabwe
Cheryl Ntumy – Ghana
Clementine Ewokolo Burnley – Cameroon
Dayo Forster – Gambia
Elizabeth McGregor – South Africa
Elnathan John – Nigeria
Eloghosa Osunde – Nigeria
Fatima Kola – South Africa
Fred Khumalo – South Africa
Gloria Mwaniga – Kenya
Gothataone Moeng – Botswana
Kiprop Kimutai – Kenya
Megan Ross – South Africa
Muthoni wa Gichuru – Kenya
Nana Nkweti – Cameroon
Palesa Deejay Manaleng – South Africa
Sitawa Namwalie – Kenya
Tsholofelo Wesi – South Africa
Ukamaka Olisakwe – Nigeria
Umar Turaki – Nigeria