Emmanuel Iduma, the Nigerian novelist, essayist, art critic and photographer was awarded the 2022 Windham-Campbell Prize for his non-fiction work A Stranger’s Pose – a travelogue, memoir, poetry collection, and photo essay on his journey around Africa.
Windham–Campbell Literature Prizes are among the richest literary prizes with each recipient granted US$165,000. Speaking on being awarded the Prize, Emmanuel Iduma noted he was “filled with gratitude” and “keen with hope for the paths now made possible for me to tread”.
Margo Jefferson was the other winner of the prize for non-fiction for her work which focuses on the black experience in the United States. Tsitsi Dangarembga and Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, both from Zimbabwe, were awarded prizes for fiction which explore the history of their country. “The godmother of black British playwrights” Winsome Pinnock and Sharon Bridgforth of the United States were awarded prizes for drama; the poetry prizes were awarded to Wong May, who is known for her experimental poetry spanning more than six decades, and Zaffar Kunial who unearths heritage and identity through the language of his poetry.
In previous years, several Africans have been awarded Prizes including Aminatta Forna, Helon Habila, Teju Cole, Jonny Steinberg, Namwali Serpell, Zoë Wicomb, and Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Windham-Campbell Prizes which was established with a significant gift from Donald Windham in memory of his lifelong partner Sandy Campbell. The Prizes are administered by Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.