Iskanchi Magazine has announced the winners of their inaugural Isakanchi Magazine Prize.

The Iskanchi Magazine prize celebrates writers with irreverent, disobedient, and non-conforming voices. Ten writers were shortlisted, and then three emerged as winners. All winning and shortlisted pieces will be published in their upcoming issue. They will also be considered for inclusion in Iskanchi’s forthcoming Best African Experimental Writing (BAE) Anthology.

 

Winners of the Inaugural Iskanchi Magazine Prize

First Prize: Brighter Days by Rodney Nayo (Ghana)

The story is a dystopian plot set in a futuristic South Africa. It highlights a girl’s struggle for survival amid climate catastrophe,while also blending the speculative with the psychological to make his story stand out. 

 

Read: What You Should Know About Speculative Fiction

 

Second Prize: Our Landlord’s Wife is a Witch Doctor by Delight Chinenye Ejiaka (Nigeria)

This story’s ability to blend superstition and folklore with character dialogue, suspense, and a creeping sense of dread made it captivating. It is a humorous story about the lives of a typical Nigerian compound with rumors of witchcraft. 

 

Third Prize: Loud Music by Mark Kennedy Nsereko (Uganda)

According to the Iskanchi Magazine page, it is a haunting narrative that explores familial expectations, culture, spirituality, mental health, and the cost of unfulfilled dreams. Focusing on a young man and his desire to make music, the story highlights the internal conflict and also the strange presence of a relative. 

The first-place winner will receive $200, while the second and third-place winners will receive $150 and $100, respectively. The shortlisted winners will also receive $50. 

Iskanchi Magazine is a literary magazine that focuses on the African perspective and stories. It seeks experimental stories that draw or show narratives about the continent. You can learn more about it through its social media page. 

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