The Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, Abuja, is pleased to announce the shortlist for the inaugural BCD-Utulu Prize for Literature. The following are the shortlisted entries.

School Category

• Newness by Sa’ada Isa Yahaya (Jewel Model Secondary School, Abuja)
• One Day, One, Dollar, One Big Dream by Muhammad M. Ubadoma (Father O’ Connell Science College, Minna)
• Pretty Hallucinations by Fortune Eleojo Simeon (Jewel Model Secondary School, Abuja)
• At the Eagle Square, Swearing-in by Ogún by Rachael Madakan Dandi
• Slice of History by Rahma Muhammad (Baiwa International School, Minna)
• Alternative Scenarios in Eden by Miracle Chierigo (Jewel Model Secondary School, Abuja)
• Quest and Nothing by Raheema Panti (Diamond Global Academy, Minna)

Adult Category

• Maybe Hope is Just a Residue of Burned Faith by Temidayo Okun
• The Bearer of Limp Hands by Pamela Erhiakeme
• Origin Story as Told by the Serpent by Chiwenite Onyekwelu
• What Adults Don’t Know About Babies by Abdulrahaman Abu-Yaman
• Tulip Fever by Pacella Chukwuma-Eke
• Pretentious by Oluwatunmise Otolorin Akigbogun
• A Pool of Blood by John Ebute
• Telephone Call to my Father by Fatihah Quadri
• To Lose What We Never Gained by Muheez Olawale
• Mind Mirror by Ololade Awujoola Ibitoye
• Sandboats by Favour Orlando Edet
• A Portraiture of Cloning by Aliyu Umar Muhammad
• Obituary by Daniel Echezonachi Maxwell
• Let Stars Still Meet You Singing, O Salvation Birds, by Onyishi Chukwuebuka Freedom
• I Would Have Tried Again by Gloria Okiche
• The Alphabets of Madness by Adamu Yahuza Abdullahi

We congratulate all the longlisted writers and extend our gratitude to everyone who submitted their work.