Winner of 2024 StarGirl contest
The TCube Art Foundation, has launched an Ekiti edition for its 2026 StarGirl Playwriting contest tagged: “StarGirl Playwriting Prize”. Founded by leading scholar in Playwriting, Dance, Choreography, Directing, and Gender Studies, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatosin Kooshima Tume, the NGO is sponsoring the contest to promote and encourage creative teenage Nigerian girls specifically in the art of playwriting.
Dr. Tume, who is currently the Director, Directorate of Gender Studies, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is also an Associate Professor of Playcreating, Performance, and Gender Studies in the department of Theatre and Media Arts of same university. She initiated the playwriting contest in 2024 and extended the Maiden edition to all Nigerian teenage girls. In 2024, Miss. Paula Onah from Benue State, Nigeria, emerged the winner of the contest, and duly received a sum of N100,000 as the rewarding prize. This year, the competition is open to only applicants living in Ekiti State.
Dr. Tume whose flourishing playwriting career has earned her admirable global recognition, culminating into her emergence as the current Lead, African Women Playwrights Network (AWPN), said the playwriting contest is being organized solely to support the creative efforts of young Nigerian female talents. She added that the prize is established: “to identify and nurture the next generation of Nigerian female playwrights, while bridging the gender disparity in playwriting achievement and recognition.”. Explaining further on the steps prospective participants should take, she states that: “To enter for the 2026 StarGirl Playwriting Prize, applicants are to submit storylines of no more than 500 words on or before 3rd August, 2026. Each entry must be saved as the full name of the applicant, and submitted as a PDF attachment. Each entry must be accompanied with the following information: Name of the author. Title of the play. Cellphone number on which the author can be contacted. Email on which the author can be contacted. Author’s birth certificate. Author’s state of origin. Author’s current class/educational status. A signed letter of consent by the author’s parents or guardian. Submissions and enquiries should be emailed to, startgirlplaywritingprize@gmail.com or sent to 09074618016. Deadline for submission is 3rd August, 2026. Plays submitted after this deadline will not be considered. Shortlisted applicants will be announced by mid August 2026.” Participants who are shortlisted would have exciting benefits as Dr. Tume assures that:
” The successful candidates will be invited to a five-day residency where they will be mentored to develop their storylines into full-fledged plays, after which the plays will be assessed. The best playwright will receive a prize of N50,000. The first runner-up. will receive a prize of N30,000. The second runner-up will receive a prize of N20,000. Other participants will receive consolation prizes.”
Speaking on the criteria for participation, the playwright and dance scholar, added further that : “Playwrights MUST be female Nigerians living in Ekiti State. Playwrights must be in secondary school or freshly out of secondary school. Full plays are NOT welcome. We only require well-written storylines at this stage. Storylines must be written in English Language, and must not exceed 500 words.”