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From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Two young Nigerian poets, Uzoigwe Miracle and Aremu Goodness Adejare, have emerged winners of the maiden edition of the Pius Oleghe Poetry and Literary Awards (POPALS), winning a combined prize of N2 million.
Uzoigwe Miracle emerged winner of the Young Voices category for poets aged 12 to 17, while Aremu Goodness Adejare won the Emerging Poets category for participants aged 18 to 35.
Each category winner received a grand prize of N1 million, alongside publication opportunities, certificates of recognition, mentorship and literary exposure.
Their emergence followed a rigorous adjudication process by an independent panel of distinguished judges, who assessed more than 145 entries submitted from within and outside Nigeria.
The judging panel comprised Prof. Maria Ajima, Prof. Emmanuel Sule Egya, Prof. Chimalum Nwankwo, Dr. Deji Ige and Prof. Chike Okoye.
The competition was coordinated by award-winning poet, scholar and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Prof. Remi Raji and award-winning playwright, Nnamdi Okose, who served as literary directors.
In a statement by the literary directors, the organisers said the inaugural competition attracted outstanding entries from across Nigeria under the theme, “Nigeria of Our Dreams.”
They said the quality of submissions demonstrated the depth of literary talent among young and emerging Nigerian poets, while reaffirming the enduring power of poetry as a vehicle for imagination, hope and national reflection.
The judges said Miracle impressed them in the Young Voices category with exceptional creativity, originality and poetic craftsmanship.
Meanwhile, Aremu was selected as the winner in the Emerging Poets category for an outstanding poem distinguished by artistic excellence and thoughtful engagement with the competition’s theme.
The organisers disclosed that shortlisted poems would be featured in the inaugural Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize Anthology, preserving some of the finest works submitted for the first edition of the competition.
The literary directors expressed appreciation to all entrants, whose participation contributed to the success of the inaugural prize.
According to them, the enthusiastic response to the competition confirmed that Nigeria continues to produce gifted poets, whose voices deserve recognition, encouragement and wider platforms.
“As the Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize begins its journey, we remain committed to discovering, nurturing and celebrating literary excellence, while creating opportunities for emerging writers to share their work with wider audiences across Nigeria, Africa and beyond,” the organisers said.
They also expressed gratitude to the panel of judges for their professionalism, diligence and integrity throughout the adjudication process.
