Calling all Nigerian Poets for The Joe Ushie Poetry Prize !!
Joseph Akawu Ushie, known in literary circles simply as Joe Ushie, is an acclaimed poet from Cross River State and Professor of General Stylistics and Literary Criticism at the University of Uyo.
His poetry collections include Popular Stand (1992), Lambs at the Shrine (1995), Eclipse in Rwanda (1998), Hill Songs (2000), A Reign of Locusts (2004), Tsunami Blues (2007), and Yawns and Belches (2018).
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Prof. Ushie was a Fellow of the 2002 Fulbright Programme in New York and also represented Africa at the 2005 “Worlds in Discourse” conference in Malaysia, as well as at the 2010 Philippine PEN International Conference, marking 50 years of PEN in the Philippines.
His poems have appeared in world-wide anthologies, and have been translated into Spanish, Finnish, French and German, in addition to receiving numerous prizes and honours.
His poem, “Africa Today,” was the only poem by an African writer to win entry into the 2015 Global Poetry Anthology in Montreal, Canada. He was also the coeditor of the 2017 edition of the Global Poetry Anthology.
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The Joe Ushie Poetry Prize celebrates the transformative power of poetry as a medium for expression, connection, and change, established in honour of Professor Joe Ushie – a renowned advocate for artistic integrity and social justice. The Prize recognizes both emerging and established poets for their artistic excellence and commitment to social issues through their work.
Its mission is to foster a vibrant community of poets while amplifying diverse voices across generations. The initiative also aims to ignite a passion for poetic expression and nurture the development of future literary talent.
In alignment with this vision, the Joe Ushie Poetry Prize awards a $500 USD cash prize annually to the author of the best submitted poem. By doing so, it seeks to offer visibility to previously unrecognized talent and serve as a bridge for intergenerational creative exchange.
Benefits
- $500 USD cash award for the best submitted poem
- Recognition for both emerging and established poets
- Visibility and exposure for previously hidden literary talent
- Opportunity to engage with a vibrant community of poets
- Promotion of socially committed and artistically excellent poetry
- Platform for intergenerational creative exchange
- Encouragement and support for diverse poetic voices
- Contribution to the nurturing of future literary talent
Eligibilities
- Open to both emerging and established poets
- Poets of any nationality may apply (unless otherwise specified in a given year’s call)
- Submission must be original and unpublished poetry
- Poets must demonstrate artistic excellence in their work
- The poem should reflect social commitment or themes of social relevance
- Entrants must adhere to submission guidelines and deadlines
Eligible Regions: Nigeria
Application Process
- Each entrant is allowed a maximum of three poems
- Each poem must not exceed fifty lines
- Entries are to be made in English; however, few words from other languages are allowed as part of poetic license
- Each entry must be accompanied by proof of Nigerian citizenship in the form of an international passport data page or a national ID card or NIN slip
- Proof of citizenship must be a clear PDF copy showing critical information such as full name, place and date of birth, etc.
- The poems must be typed in 12 pts Times New Roman font and double spaced
- Only PDF format is allowed for submission of documents
- Entries must be received by the deadline; any entry received after the deadline will be automatically disqualified. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. GMT on 31 July 2025.
- Entries are to be sent as email attachments, along with proof of Nigerian citizenship, to [email protected]
- The subject line of the submission email should read as follows: [NAME OF ENTRANT]’S ENTRY FOR THE 2026 JOE USHIE POETRY PRIZE
- There should be no identifying information (e.g. poet’s name) on the document containing the poems itself
- Entries will not be returned; authors are advised to keep a copy for their own records
- Friends, family members and close associates of the judges and prize organizers are not allowed to enter for the prize
- Any attempt to communicate with the judges or prize organizers during the prize cycle will lead to automatic disqualification
Application Deadline: July 31, 2025 (28 Days Remaining)
Apply nowOfficial link
