Huambo - The Angolan writer Nituecheni Africano won the 25th edition of the FOX USA 2024 literary prize, in the United States of America, with his book ‘The Prisoner - The Beginning and the End of an Injustice’, ANGOP has learnt.
The results of the international competition, with two African writers, one Angolan and the other Nigerian, were announced on June2, where Nituecheni Africano beat his direct competitor with more than 5000 votes.
With the award for best author of the year and best crime novel, the Angolan will receive 16,000 dollars, as well as the publication and distribution of 200 copies of his work by Fox Corporation, adapted by SECRET FILMS.
The official award ceremony for the first Angolan to win this prestigious prize is scheduled for August 12 in Midtown Manhattan in the United States.
Speaking to ANGOP, Nituecheni Africano, the literary pseudonym of Eugénio Afonso Gaspar, said it had not been easy to win the prize, as he had competed in previous editions, but had never been accepted due to some of the organizational criteria.
He added that this year he signed with the Brazilian publisher Roco, which in turn translated the book ‘The Prisoner: The Beginning and the End of an Injustice’ into English, which was accepted by FOX, culminating in his winning the prize last Sunday with more than five thousand votes.
Nituecheni Africano said it was a hard-fought prize, which he won thanks to his determination and persistence, which was supported by the votes of Angolans and the Portuguese-speaking community, including family members, writers and friends.
The book `The Prisoner - The Beginning and the End of an Injustice’, with 150 pages, subdivided into 12 chapters, was launched in July 2023 in Portugal, it portrays the story of a young lawyer who is faced with a high-profile case in Angola, where justice seems to obscure the truth.
By showing courage and sagacity during the trial, the protagonist stands out as a defender of human rights, tackling issues of abuse of power, influence peddling and money laundering, which reflect contemporary African reality.
The ‘FOX US2024’ literary prize is an initiative of the US film company FOX, held annually in New York City, which aims to honor works in the novel genre, with the participation of more than 100 writers from around the world.
The writer's journey
With a degree in Computer Science and Business Administration from the Technical University of Angola (UTANGA), Nituecheni Africanno was born in Huambo province on September 12, 1990.
The writer is one of three Angolans on the list of the 50 most prominent cultural figures on the African continent honored by the French magazine ‘Le Point’ for the year 2023.
The author has published four literary works, namely ‘The Prisoner of Love’ , ‘The Winner with Bread in His Hands’, both in 2020, as well as ‘The Web Emigrant and His Nonsense’ (2022) and ‘The Prisoner: The Beginning and the End of an Injustice’ (2023).
His career has been marked by five international literary prizes, including best novel at the 2nd and 4th editions of the WBR in Latin America, as well as ‘Literary Reference’ in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 2023 for his work ‘The Web Emigrant and His Nonsense’. ZZN/ALH/DAM/DAN/AMP
