Soji Cole Explained

Soji Cole
Birth Name:Olusoji Henry Cole
Birth Place:Mushin Oloosa, Lagos State, Nigeria
Occupation:Writer
Nationality:Nigerian
Citizenship:Nigeria
Genre:Short story, Realistic fiction, drama
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Years Active:2020 - present

Soji Cole is a Nigerian academic, playwright and author. He is the 2018 recipient of the Nigeria Prize for Literature.[1] His research areas are on drama therapy, trauma studies and cross-cultural performance research.[2] [3]

His book, Embers was listed as one of the best Nigerian books for 2018 by Dailytrust Newspaper.[4]

Early life and education

Born on 27 December 1976, Olusoji Henry Cole was born into the family of Mr Gbadebo John Cole and Mrs Gbemisola Adunni Cole at Mushin Oloosa, Lagos, Nigeria

Cole is an alumnus of University of Ibadan.[5] [6] He was also a visiting fellow at University of Roehampton.[7]

Writing career

Cole disclosed to Dailytrust that writing short stories was how he got his first publication. Speaking on challenges of emerging authors in Nigeria, he singled financial constraints and infrastructural decline as factors diminishing the litOloerary drive in the country. He also recounted how electricity was a huge challenge while writing his novels.[8] In an interview with The Sun, Cole recalled that he began writing while in elementary school just to feel among his age-groups. He also narrated how My Little Stream became his first published novel.[9] He published his first play, Maybe Tomorrow (2014), a story based on the plight of the people in the Niger Delta. The book was long-listed for the 2014 Nigeria Prize for Literature, and won the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) award.[10] [11] In October 2018, Cole book Embers emerged best out of 89 entries that qualified for the 2018 Nigeria Prize for Literature. The book was on the impact of religious and ethnic violence on the living conditions of persons in Northern Nigeria.[12]

Bibliography

Recognition

Aside the awards won below, Cole has been shortlisted for Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa and BBC World Playwriting Competition.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pomp, drama as Soji Cole wins 2018 Nigeria Prize for Literature . Nigerian Tribune.
  2. Web site: Soji Cole . 2018-12-31.
  3. Web site: Soji Cole . 2018-12-31.
  4. Web site: 15 best books of 2018 . Dailytrust . 2018-12-22.
  5. Web site: Dr SOJI COLE, wins NLNG Prize for Literature . Unibadan Press . . 2018-12-23.
  6. Web site: Writer on the rise: Embers earns Soji Cole $100,00 NLNG literature prize . Sun . 2018-12-23.
  7. Web site: JUDGES FOR THE NIGERIAN STUDENTS POETRY PRIZE (NSPP) 2018 . 2018-12-23.
  8. Web site: I endured mosquitoes writing prize-winning book . Bivan . Nathaniel . November 10, 2018 . Daily Trust . 2018-12-22.
  9. Web site: Soji Cole: How I won the NLNG prize . November 24, 2018 . Sun newspaper . 2018-12-22.
  10. Web site: NLNG, A Tedious Journey of Expectation & Anxiety – Soji Cole . November 23, 2018 . Leadership Newspaper . 2018-12-22.
  11. Web site: Absence of clout around literature diminishes its cause . Ajeluorou . Anote . October 14, 2018 . Guardian . 2018-12-22.
  12. Web site: Soji Cole wins $100,000 NLNG Prize for Literature . Duru . Prisca-Sam . October 20, 2018 . Vanguard . 2018-12-22.
  13. Web site: International radio playwriting competition 2007 . BBC . 2018-12-23.

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