Rotimi Babatunde and Baroness Emma Nicholson with the bust of Sir Michael Caine
The Ekiti State Government has congratulated the winner of this year’s prestigious Caine Prize for African Writing, Mr Rotimi Babatunde.
The state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Funminiyi Afuye in a statement on Thursday lauded the Ado-Ekiti born award winner for doing the state proud by winning the prize.
Afuye noted that Babatunde by virtue of winning the award has given the state and the nation a prominent place in the literary world.
He described the award as heart warming especially now that news coming out of the country were not cheering saying the award has shown that talented youths are abound in the state.
Babatunde who was shortlisted along with four others for the Caine Writing Prize was presented the award at a dinner held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford last week Monday evening.
The $15,700 prize was given to Babatunde for his story about Nigerian soldiers who fought in the Burma during the World War II. Afuye described the award winner as an ambassador of the state who exhibited the values which the people of the state are noted for.
These values, according to him, are integrity, sincerity, honour and hard work.
He called on youths in the state to emulate Babatunde by doing the state proud in all their endeavours urging them to shun any vice that could bring the name of the state to disrepute.
Last modified: July 12, 2012
