The Initiative for Creative Arts and Development celebrates 12 Nigerian writers exploring disability, empathy, and inclusion through fiction.
The Initiative for Creative Arts and Development (ICAD) has released the longlist for the maiden edition of its Short Story Prize on Disability and Social Justice, announced on September 30, 2025.
The prize aims to centre the realities of persons with disabilities in Nigerian storytelling, using fiction to reveal emotional truths that data often fails to capture. Writers were invited to submit stories about persons with disabilities or those in their social circles — including parents, caregivers, friends, and community leaders — to highlight how social structures and culture influence inclusion.
According to ICAD, the selected stories portray persons with disabilities as active members of their communities — parents, students, workers, and neighbours — while confronting social and institutional barriers shaped by ableism. The organisation praised the longlisted works for their sincerity, emotional depth, and craftsmanship.
The 12 longlisted stories are:
- A Risky Game by Raji Sakiru
- A Rhythm of Thirst by Zachariah Sharon Garba
- Uncited by Opeyemi Ridwan Olatunji
- The Weight of Air by Bawa Daniel Tozabye
- Invisible People by Wasila Oyekan
- Eulogizing Mava by Tete Tommi
- Shared Destiny by Rachel Oluwafisayo
- Skin Scraping by Ikechukwu Igbokwe
- The Weight of Silence by Nathan Felix
- Enitan by Ihuoma Okorie
- Vision in the Dark by Jeff Chekwubechukwu Onuigbo
- The Stars I See by Victoria Mok
ICAD noted that the recurring message across the stories is that the social, emotional, and economic wellbeing of persons with disabilities is tied to wider social systems often constrained by structural inequality. The initiative urged continued creative and policy collaboration to dismantle such barriers.
One of the longlisted authors, Ihuoma Okorie, described the recognition as “deeply meaningful because it affirms that stories about disability are not just about pain, but about strength, dignity, and humanity.”
The judging panel for this inaugural edition includes Apolmida Haruna Tsammani, founder of the Haly Hope Foundation and advocate for disability rights, and Namse Udosen, a writer and educator who has facilitated creative writing workshops across Africa.
ICAD emphasized that beyond celebrating talent, the Short Story Prize reinforces the role of the arts in challenging ableism and advancing social justice through storytelling.