The Young Adult Literature Prize (YALP) 2025 has unveiled its regional finalists from a pool of 106 entries, with E. R. Umukoro’s thought-provoking novel The Distortion of Hadassah emerging as the South South regional finalist.
A statement by the organisers said the recognition underscores Umukoro’s remarkable storytelling talent and affirms her growing influence in African literature.
As the acclaimed author of the bestselling debut book Distortion, a pioneering fictional mental health true crime novel, Umukoro has made an indelible mark on the literary scene.
Distortion was approved by the Delta State Ministry of Education as a literature textbook for secondary schools, and it was selected as the Book of Discussion on World Press Freedom Day by the United States Agency for Global Media in 2024.
It will also feature in the CORA Book Trek organised by the Lagos Arts and Book Festival, which will take the work to three secondary schools across Lagos State in 2025.
The novel has received critical acclaim from major media outlets including BusinessDay, News Central, Arise News, TVC, Trust TV, The Guardian, and ThisDay, with a special mention by the Pulitzer Centre for its gripping portrayal of true crime, mental health struggles, and fractured identities.
Celebrating literary excellence
Announcing the finalists, Jerry Adesewo of TYBLI said, “We are delighted to announce the regional finalists of the Young Adult Literature Prize 2025. We received an overwhelming response from talented writers across the country, and the quality of submissions was exceptional. We congratulate all our regional finalists on this achievement and wish them the best of luck in the competition.”
Reacting to her selection, E. R. Umukoro expressed deep delight, saying, “This literary honour is indeed exciting news to wrap up the year. It gives me great joy to be selected on the longlist of the Young Adult Literature Prize (YALP) 2025.”
The YALP 2025 competition attracted 106 writers nationwide. The regional finalists are: E. R. Umukoro – The Distortion of Hadassah (South South); Ikemefuna Chinenyike Lawrence Ezemagu – Garden of Garget (South East); Sarah Yousuph – When the Road Curves (South West); Adoo Gyuur – Daughters of Ashes (North Central); Daniel Yohanna – A Boy From Far North (North East); and Yusrah Bashir Gaga – My Darkest Nightmares (North West)
Inspiring the next generation of writers
The Distortion of Hadassah tells the story of eleven young adults across Nigeria as they grapple with identity, acceptance, and the search for opportunity.
It explores resilience and the human condition, further establishing Umukoro as a masterful storyteller capable of crafting deeply relatable characters.
Each regional winner will receive a cash prize of N500,000, while the overall winner will take home N1,500,000 and a publishing deal.
The Young Adult Literature Prize is an annual literary competition dedicated to celebrating and nurturing outstanding young adult writers in Nigeria. Through its platform, YALP continues to inspire emerging voices to keep writing, learning, and dreaming while promoting creativity and literary excellence across the nation.
