Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship 2025 (50,000 AED grant) Deadline: 17 April, 2025

Applications are open for the Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship 2025. The Africa Institute, Global Studies University invites applications for the Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship, a distinguished program that celebrates and supports literary voices engaged in the creative expression of Africa and its diaspora in all forms and genres.

Established in honor of the late Nigerian scholar Tejumola Olaniyan, a renowned literary critic whose work profoundly shaped African and African diaspora studies, this fellowship reflects his legacy of intellectual rigor, creativity, and commitment to fostering new narratives. It aligns with The Africa Institute’s mission as a globally oriented center dedicated to research, postgraduate studies, and critical discourse on Africa and its worldwide connections.

Benefits

• The fellowship provides a grant of 50,000 AED in total for the duration of the fellowship, which is inclusive of accommodation, a return airfare ticket, visa and the monthly stipend of 10,000 AED per month per fellow.

Eligibility

• The fellowship is open to both emerging and well-established creative writers.
• A strong record of creative literary excellence, including awards, fellowships, or other forms of recognition.
• Applicants must be actively working on a major literary project (a novel, memoir, collection of essays or poetry, film script, or a full-length play).
• Applicants must have at least one published work (book, journal, or significant online platform) or a substantial portfolio demonstrating their commitment to writing.
• Applicants working on themes related to Africa and the African diaspora are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Priority will be given to applicants who employ innovative approaches to storytelling, form, or language are given priority.
• Priority will be given to applicants whose work shows potential to contribute to critical literary culture, scholarship, or public discourse are given preference.

Application

The application requires the following:

• CV/résumé of the applicant
• A two-page summary (single space, font 12) of the project to be undertaken during the residency period, its significance, and a proposed date of completion.
• One sample of published or unpublished writings and/or creative work to be evaluated.

To submit applications, compile all application materials; CV/résumé, two-page narrative and writing sample (in case of a book, kindly attach separately) into one single PDF in the mentioned order.

Name the file with the residency title abbreviation and the applicant’s name in this format: OCWRP_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME.pdf

Use the same name in the email subject heading and send the PDF as an email attachment to applications@theafricainstitute.org.

For more information, visit Tejumola Olaniyan Creative Writers-in-Residence Fellowship.