Nigeria's Romeo Oriogun, has been named winner of the 2017 Brunel International African Poetry Prize.
The Prize is open to African poets worldwide who are yet to publish a full poetry collection.
The poetry prize award of £3,000 cash prize is in its fifth year.
"The
judges were unanimous this year in their decision that among a
shortlist of ten stunning new poets, selected from nearly 1,200 entries,
Oriogun – who only begun writing three years ago - should receive the
prize," says the organiers.
The
judges Chris Abani (Northwestern University); Kwame Dawes (University
of Nebraska); Safia Elhillo (winner of the 2015 Prize); Patricia Jabbeh
Welsley (Penn State University) and chair and founder, Bernardine
Evaristo (Brunel University London said : “Romeo Oriogun is a hugely
talented, outstanding, and urgent new voice in African poetry."
Aside from Oriogun, Nigerian poets
Saddiq Dzukogi, Rasak Malik Gbolahan, and Kechi Nomu were also in the
running for the prize alongside Sahro Ali (Somalia) Leila Chatti
(Tunisia), Kayo Chingonyi (Zambia), Yalie Kamara (Sierra Leone), Richard
Oduour Oduku (Kenya) and Nick Makoha (Uganda).
The previous winners of the award are :
2013 Warsan Shire (Somalia)
2014 Liyou Libsekal (Ethiopia)
2015 Safia Elhillo (Sudan) & Nick Makoha (Uganda)
2016 Gbenga Adesina (Nigeria) & Chekwube O. Danladi (Nigeria)
Tags: Brunel poetry prize
