The Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2024: an interview with Olajide Omojarabi

“Growing up, I saw many boys and girls give up so much to play top-flight football, which often didn’t work out as planned. To this day, it is still a dream widely chased on Nigerian streets and in underfunded football academies. I wrote this story to identify the struggles of these young people and let them know that their dreams are valid, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the pursuit of this career.”