Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun’s “Sweet Salt” Wins the Élékéré Short Story Prize

The $500 award goes to a story about the legacies of trauma and silence. Élékéré Press also announces its first title, a podcast, and the prize’s return in 2027.

Nigerian writer Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun has won the inaugural Élékéré Short Story Prize for his story “Sweet Salt,” taking home the $500 award.

The prize, launched earlier this year by Élékéré Press, invited Black writers across Africa and the diaspora to submit unpublished short fiction on the theme of “Inheritance.” 

It drew hundreds of submissions from writers in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Vienna, the United States, Zimbabwe, and more. 

Seven stories made the 2026 shortlist.

About the Winning Story

Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun said that “Sweet Salt” was inspired by a dream he had about his grandmother. 

The story explores the legacies of trauma and silence, how things left unsaid pass down through generations, and how loud silence can be.

One of the judges, Arinze Ifeakandu, author of God’s Children Are Little Broken Things, praised the story’s craft:

“I was most struck by Olúwatúnmiṣe’s story for its beautiful, controlled language, its characters painted in vivid yet muted colours, and its strange and expert execution of the theme.”

On the field as a whole, Ifeakandu noted that each story spoke to the theme of Inheritance in unique, interesting ways, with fascinating variations on the inheritance of intergenerational strife, limitations, and triumphs.  

From the Press

Olly Nze, Managing Editor of Élékéré Press, described the response to the prize as a source of encouragement for the independent publisher:

“The response we received during the submission period was so overwhelming, and the passion and quality of the work were inspiring. ‘Sweet Salt’ is such a special piece, and in Olúwatúnmiṣe, we’ve found a gem.”

— Olly Nze, Managing Editor, Élékéré Press

Nze added that the prize has reinforced the press’s commitment to bringing Black and African writers to the forefront of literary conversations.

The winning story, “Sweet Salt,” is available to read on the Élékéré Press website here. 

What’s Next for Élékéré Press

• End of November 2026: the press publishes its first title, Mismemories.
• December 2026: launch of a podcast focused on books by Black and African writers.
• Early 2027: the press opens its first call for manuscripts.
• Q1 2027: the Élékéré Short Story Prize returns, offering Black writers across Africa and the diaspora another opportunity to share their work.

About Élékéré Press

Élékéré Press is an independent press committed to editorial courage, daring and imaginative stories, and a writer-first ethos based in Abuja. 

The press is drawn to stories rooted in lived experience: tender, disruptive, experimental, and hard to place neatly within genre boundaries. They champion works that exist at the margins.