After 90+ entries in the last two weeks from talented writers across the country, we are pleased to announce the three winners of the inaugural NATIVE Horror Stories Competition. Verem Nwoji, Chidera Solomon Anikpe and Gabrielle Harry are this year’s winners, in selections made by chief judge, Eloghosa Osunde, amongst a series of strong contenders. 

Here’s what Eloghosa Osunde had to say about the final three: 

GABRIELLE HARRY – ‘GIRLS WHO FLY AT NIGHT’

In ‘Girls Who Fly At Night,’ Gabrielle Emem Harry writes a compelling tale here, full of witchy brilliance and a thrumming presence. Reading this was so satisfying, but also of note here is the structure which is tight and sturdy, even while being desirepacked. Its prose is seductive, wickedly clever, and darkly composed. A stand out winner in every sense. 

VEREM NWOJI – ‘WITCH TREE ON THIS HAUNTED HILL SHALL I CLIMB INTO?’

Verem Nwoji gives us a shadowy world — about pressures, friendship and morphing —  that slow burns with a lucidity I did not want to turn away from. A true star of a writer, I was moved by both Salome and Hadiza’s ways of navigating the world. The bird, the tongue and the mother all brought me deep delight. I can’t wait to see what the writer does next.

CHIDERA SOLOMON ANIKPE – ‘THE GIRL WHO LIVED’ 

Chidera Solomon Anikpe’s work whirls around a relatable question in this text: who are you willing to be, and what are you willing to do for the sake of your need? What follows is this winding exploration of sharp want and murky intent, motherhood and barter, sacrifice and the ensuing dynamic between clear women, in which Chidera’s writing is sweeping in scope, confidently rhythmic and deftly measured, reeling the reader into a waiting fog one sentence after the next. 

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

Faridah Abdulrazaq’s ‘WATA’: For the character Amoke and how she unfolds on the page; its deceptively lighthearted dialogue; the overlay of contemporary Lagos dating life and the water. 

Ray Ukuame’s ‘Head Over Heels’: I was especially impressed by the second half of this. In a story powered by raciness and suspense, its final scene emerges wonderfully, and with stubborn staying power.

Ene Afoma Lynda’s ‘Madness of Conscience’: This submission moved me. The story between two compelling figures with the same mission, and different methods. The Cook and The Writer are both crucial and in their rights. When their paths collide, what happens next is a type of rest. I love that this exists.

Hanson Iboro’s ‘The Bush Baby’s Revenge’: The middle of this story is my favorite part. Sheer chaos, high stakes and dark humor. Patience the bushbaby is memorable.

[Featured Image Credits/The NATIVE]