ANA gets literary prize for James Ene Henshaw
By SEGUN AJAYI
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Unarguably, he was the first Nigerian to write full length plays in the 1950s and 1960s. The late James Ene Henshaw, who died in August, last year, still lives on in the hearts of many who savoured his works. For the late Henshaw, a medical doctor who strayed into playwriting, last pen-ultimate Saturday was another milestone in the family’s bid to immortalize him and sustain his literary legacies.

Although the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), last year named a prize for playwriting among its legion of prizes for outstanding writers at yearly conventions, not until last Saturday did the Henshaw family represented by the eldest child, James (Jnr), his sister Caroline, give financial backing to the prize with the formal presentation of N150,000 cheque for the first winner.
James who flew in into the country from U.K. for the presentation, explained that the prize is essentially for the development of playwriting and stage drama among upcoming writers.

The heir to the Henshaw family also noted that the choice of budding playwrights was not unconnected with the fact that his father’s plays were more popular among students of secondary schools way back in the 1960s.

He reminisced on how his father reiterated the fact in plays like This is Our Chance, Medicine for Love, Children of the goddess and Dinner for Promotion, when he noted that they were written for students in the secondary schools. Hence, it did not come as a surprise that his father wrote in simple English. On the cultural relevance of the works, James explained how they identified typical African societal problems and resolved the conflicts through cultural means.

In addition to the award, the family also revealed that Bounty Press, based in Ibadan has commenced a reprint of the plays as a way of rekindling their memories among today’s youths.
Earlier in his remarks, the President, Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran, had noted that the award, christened ANA/James Ene Henshaw Prize for Playwriting, is for unpublished scripts and goes with a cash reward of N150,000. Aside from that the winner will work with a director to ensure that the play is realized on stage.

On behalf of the association, Okediran expressed appreciation to the family for their gesture. Allaying fears in certain quarters that the family may not sustain the cash prize, the donor told journalists that the government of Cross Rivers State and the University of Calabar, have expressed interests towards ensuring that the award is endowed in perpetuity. ANA president, who berated people’s aversion to collaborations with government, also explained that it could be achieved without losing focus.

He cited the recent N22 million waiver granted the association over its landed property in Abuja by the FCT Minister, Aliyu Modibo, as an evidence of how government could be responsible to the people.
Born on August 29, 1924, James Ene Henshaw, an Efik from Cross River State, attended Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, and later qualified as a Medical Doctor in Ireland in 1949. Henshaw, who lived quietly in Calabar served in various official capacities before he was elected into the Constituent Assembly in 1988/89. Henshaw was a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory and held an Efik royal title and National Merit Award of the Order of the Niger.