The judges for the fifth Brunel
International African Poetry Prize 2017 yesterday announced ten fortunate poets
who had reached the shortlist stage for the poetry prize that aimed at
celebration and promotion of poetry from Africa. Four Nigerians were included
on the list.
This year’s prize attracted some 1,200 entries – doubling the
size of the competition since its launch in 2012.
The prize is sponsored by Brunel University London and Common Wealth and is open to African poets worldwide
who have not yet published a full poetry collection. Each poet has to submit 10
poems to be eligible. The winner/s will be announced on May 2nd 2017.
This year’s shortlist:
The judges this year
are the poets and academics: 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).
On announcing the
shortlist, Bernardine Evaristo said: “The judges have come up with a shortlist
of ten poets who reflect the increased quality and diversity of contemporary
African poetry. We have always received very few entries from North Africa and
so we are delighted to count a North African poet on this shortlist for the
first time. Likewise with Muslim background poets, whose presence reflects a
similar increase in entries.
Earlier, two
Nigerians, Gbenga Adesina and Chekwube O. Danladi, emerged the joint winners of
this prize last year.
The winner(s) for 2017 prize would be
announced on 2nd May, 2017.
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