Morehouse Rhodes Scholar Tope Folarin ’04 Wins Top African Literary Prize
By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
Tope Folarin ’04, Morehouse’s third Rhodes scholar, has earned another huge honor: the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story, “Miracle.” The Caine Prize, which has been awarded annually since 2000, is considered Africa’s top literary award.
“Miracle” appeared in the 2012 edition of Transition magazine, which is published by Harvard University’s W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research. The story is set in an evangelical Nigerian church in Texas where the congregation has gathered to witness the healing powers of a blind pastor-prophet. Religion and the gullibility of those caught in the deceit that sometimes comes with faith rise to the surface as a young boy volunteers to be healed and begins to believe in miracles.
"Winning the Caine Prize has been an incredibly gratifying experience," Folarin said. "I've been writing in anonymity for years. I don't have a creative writing degree, and I'd never taken a creative writing class when 'Miracle' was published--it was just me and my laptop. I'm pleased that so many people have read 'Miracle,' and that people are interested in my story. There's more to come."
Folarin was presented with his award and cash prize on July 8 at the University of Oxford, where he did his Rhodes studies.
To read “Miracle,” go to http://www.caineprize.com/pdf/2013_Folarin...
Connect with Morehouse College:
https://www.morehouse.edu/
Tope Folarin ’04, Morehouse’s third Rhodes scholar, has earned another huge honor: the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story, “Miracle.” The Caine Prize, which has been awarded annually since 2000, is considered Africa’s top literary award.
“Miracle” appeared in the 2012 edition of Transition magazine, which is published by Harvard University’s W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research. The story is set in an evangelical Nigerian church in Texas where the congregation has gathered to witness the healing powers of a blind pastor-prophet. Religion and the gullibility of those caught in the deceit that sometimes comes with faith rise to the surface as a young boy volunteers to be healed and begins to believe in miracles.
"Winning the Caine Prize has been an incredibly gratifying experience," Folarin said. "I've been writing in anonymity for years. I don't have a creative writing degree, and I'd never taken a creative writing class when 'Miracle' was published--it was just me and my laptop. I'm pleased that so many people have read 'Miracle,' and that people are interested in my story. There's more to come."
Folarin was presented with his award and cash prize on July 8 at the University of Oxford, where he did his Rhodes studies.
To read “Miracle,” go to http://www.caineprize.com/pdf/2013_Folarin...
Connect with Morehouse College:
https://www.morehouse.edu/
