NIGERIAN NEWSDIRECT POETRY PRIZE 2020: WINNERS & FINALISTS

We are delighted to announce the winners of our inaugural poetry prize: First Place (N70,000): Chidera Ihekereleome-Okorie - BLOOM Second Place (N50,000): Praise Osawaru - MONOLOGUE BEHIND A BOLTED DOOR, SOMEWHERE IN IKORODU Third Place (N30,000): Ọbáfẹ́mi Thanni - LET ME Finalists Chiemeziem Everest Udochukwu - A REPLY TO THE NEWEST EMAIL IN MY INBOX Olaitan Humble – HAIL MARY Joshua Morley - THE ROOT OF THINGS Ujiogba Sharon Moyinoluwa - RIGHT BEFORE A WHOLESOME WEEKEND Ehi-kowochio Ogwiji - WHY MY BREASTS ARE CRADLED ON A CHEST THAT IS SLIGHTLY TOO BROAD FOR A WOMAN Oluwatobi Ezekiel Poroye - CITY OF RUINS Joy Mamudu - ONCE UPON A MORNING WALK Ọlákìtán T. Aládéṣuyì - SINNER, LOVER, RIGHTEOUS Erhu Kome - WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FAT OLALEKAN Daniel Kehinde - NEWSPAPER HEADLINE ON A SUNDAY Aiyejinna Abraham Oshokunofa - THE ATLANTIC IS A POT OF TEARS Efe Ogufere – REFRACTION Ruth Adaeze Ikonne – WE ARE HERDSMEN Ojo Taiye - SWANNED GIRLS, LONG GONE Anuoluwa Soneye - HERE, SILENCE IS GOD’S COMMANDMENT Ebube Udeoba - A BOY IS SUCH A FRAGILE THING Adetutu Adediran - READING LUCILLE CLIFTON [caption id="attachment_246076" align="alignnone" width="300"] Nigerian NewsDirect Poet Laureate, Chidera Ihekereleome-Okorie[/caption] The first place winner of the prize is automatically appointed to the role of Nigerian NewsDirect Poet Laureate, and is expected to play an advisory role to the organization in all things poetry. A year tenure beginning from the date of this announcement. There is an additional lump sum of N50,000 to be paid to the Poet Laureate in September. The roles of the Poet Laureate include: 1. Advise the organization on all things poetry. 2. Suggest or carry out a project in conjunction with our Poetry Column (the type of project is subject to the Laureate’s discretion). 3. Take control of the PoetLaureateNND social media handle for the next one year. (Twitter and Instagram) 4. Partake in, at least, one poetry reading (virtual or in-person), to be organized by Nigerian NewsDirect, during their tenure. A chapbook containing the poems of Winners & Finalists will be released in April. Signed, Pamilerin Jacob Coordinator