NIGERIAN NEWSDIRECT POETRY PRIZE 2020: LONGLIST
The process has been long and tedious, though fruitful. Thankful to the judges for their diligence & brilliance sorting through the hundreds of entries (total: 1132 submissions).
We present to you, in no particular order, the longlist for Nigerian NewsDirect Poetry Prize 2020:
- Olowo Qudus Opeyemi - COMPLEXES
- Efe Ogufere – REFRACTION
- Aiyejinna Abraham Oshokunofa - THE ATLANTIC IS A POT OF TEARS
- Olaitan Humble – HAIL MARY
- Ujiogba Sharon Moyinoluwa - RIGHT BEFORE A WHOLESOME WEEKEND
- Ayinla Jemimah - ODE TO THE ONE I LOVE
- Olalekan Daniel Kehinde - NEWSPAPER HEADLINE ON A SUNDAY
- Michael Isangedighi Imossan - THIS POEM IS AN ANALOGY
- Chidera Ihekereleome-Okorie – BLOOM
- Azeeza Adeowu – RAIN, RAIN
- Omolola Okunlola – THIS CITY
- Mesioye Johnson - 12 PILLARS OF NON-ACCEPTANCE
- Ojo Taiye - SWANNED GIRLS, LONG GONE
- Praise Osawaru - MONOLOGUE BEHIND A BOLTED DOOR, SOMEWHERE IN IKORODU
- Ebube Udeoba - A BOY IS SUCH A FRAGILE THING
- Oluwatobi Ezekiel Poroye - CITY OF RUINS
- Ọlákìtán T. Aládéṣuyì - SINNER, LOVER, RIGHTEOUS
- Erhu Kome - WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FAT
- Timi Sanni – SACRILEGE
- Ọbáfẹ́mi Thanni - LET ME
- Chiemeziem Everest Udochukwu - A REPLY TO THE NEWEST EMAIL IN MY INBOX
- Ruth Adaeze Ikonne – WE ARE HERDSMEN
- Anuoluwa Soneye - HERE, SILENCE IS GOD’S COMMANDMENT
- Joy Mamudu - ONCE UPON A MORNING WALK
- Victoria Ajose - THE NIGHT’S TOUCH
- Nurain Oladeji – GARDENING
- Anointing Kelechukwu Obuh - THE AUDACITY OF SACRIFICE
- Chisom Okafor - IN WHICH THE CARDIOLOGIST DISCOVERS, FROM ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY, THE AETIOLOGY OF MY HEART MALFUNCTION
- Zakiyyah Dzukogi - HE GAVE BACK MY FATHER’S HEAD
- Adetutu Adediran - READING LUCILLE CLIFTON
- Ehi-kowochio Ogwiji - WHY MY BREASTS ARE CRADLED ON A CHEST THAT IS SLIGHTLY TOO BROAD FOR A WOMAN
- Joshua Morley - THE ROOT OF THINGS
- Chiwenite Onyekwelu - AT AN OLD FRIEND'S FUNERAL
- Abiodun Usman Adeyemi - WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY HOME IS HOME