Debutant fiction writer, Chelochi Onyemelukwe-Onoubia, has won the Best Fiction Writer Award at the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair in the United Arab Emirates.
The author’s ‘Son of the House’ earned her the coveted prize at the fair ending on November 9. The Ruler of Sharjah, Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, honoured her for her feat
The novel highlights the struggles of womanhood and parenting amidst sexual abuse and societal pressure.
The author said that she hoped women, especially young Nigerian writers, would be motivated by her achievements in their writing journey while commenting.
She said: “I was surprised to find out that I was the only female. I want to see women winning awards and get recognised. I have faced quite a bit of rejection in the course of my journey, so it is extremely thrilling for me despite the challenges I faced while trying to get this book published.”
Onyemelukwe-Onuobia is an expert in Health Law in Nigeria and Associate Professor at Babcock University School of Law and Security Studies. She founded Centre for Health Ethics Law and Development in 2010 and holds First-class degree in Law from the University of Nigeria and a doctorate in Law from Dalhousie University, Canada.
The Sharjah International Book Fair Award is an annual award that recognises outstanding accomplishments in both regional and international publishing industry. It will end on November 9
