Ben Marcus writes about the short story “a short story works to remind us that if we are not sometimes baffled and amazed and undone by the world around us, rendered speechless and stunned, perhaps we are not paying close enough attention” So, storytelling is a pivotal activity by humans and for humanity. The power of storytelling cannot be undermined, as a good story has the power to delight, to question, to instruct, to mirror, to console us. The right story found at the right moment feels like a friend, a companion, maybe even a therapist. And in the wake of a discourse about the surmised death of Nigerian literature, it is pertinent to reinstate, as you already know, that Nigerian writers of this generation are dominating spaces— from literary fiction to poetry to science fiction to screenwriting. 

Therefore it is in the face of this truth that the Best Okereke Prize for short fiction was founded.

We hope to inspire and encourage young, aspiring Nigerian writers of fiction that there is room for blossoming; a way to say— we see you, so keep writing!