ANA Releases shortlist of the Ikeogu Oke Poetry Prize for Nigerian Secondary Schools

 

ANA RELEASES SHORTLIST OF THE IKEOGU OKE POETRY PRIZE FOR NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

 

INTRODUCTION

 

1. As today marks two years since Ikeogu Oke passed away.  It is our pleasure to announce the shortlist of the above-mentioned prize, sponsored by Mrs Nneoma Ikeogu and administered by ANA.

 

2. For this maiden edition, 46 entries were received across the country. That number is significant. But we believe we would have received more entries if not for the impact of COVID-19 on schools.

 

3. The guidelines required each candidate to submit a poem of 10 lines.

 

4. Only senior secondary school students were allowed to compete for the prizes.

 

PRIZES

 

The prizes and rewards are as follows:

1st Position... N100k (Cash plus Books)

 

2nd Position....N70k (Cash plus Books)

 

3rd Position.... N50K

(Cash plus Books)

 

THE SHORTLIST

The following six (6) entries have made the shortlist:

i. "I See the Future" by Chris Gonoh

ii. "Teaching Home New Languages" by Olajuwon Abdullah Adedoyin

iii. "Revelation" by Kaosisochi Michelle Chukwuekee

iv. "Untitled" by Solomon Promise

v. "The Hero's Departure" by Shakirah Durojaiye

vi. "Dust Awaiting" by Abdulquadri Imam Ibrahim.

 

The judges will announce the best three entries at a ceremony organized by ANA.

 

ABOUT THE LATE IKEOGU OKE

Ikeogu Oke (23 May 1967 – 24 November 2018) was a Nigerian author, journalist and award-winning poet. In 2017, he won the Nigeria Prize for Literature for his first collection of poetry The Heresiad.

Ikeogu Oke Oke attended the University of Calabar and also the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state. While he was at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he bagged an MA in Literature. Before that, he was awarded a B.A degree in English and Literary Studies at the University of Calabar. Before his death, the book which took him 27 years to write was adjudged a work that speaks to an intense commitment to innovation, tenacity in a way that brings out delight and engagement. The Judges that handed the prize to him described it as a bold and wonderful experiment. EU, Netherlands Envoys hail Gov. Ugwuanyi’s giant strides Ikeou Oke was a poet and a Journalist before his death.

 

As a Journalist, he wrote columns for different national dailies, and as a poet, he wrote several poems which won him the coveted Prize in 2017. To his credit are literary works classified under adult and children’s literature which include “When I was Born” (2002), Fourth Dimension Publishing Company, Nigeria; “Salute Without Guns” (2009), Manila Publishers Company, Nigeria; “In the Wings of Waiting” (2012), Manila Publishing company, Nigeria. All these works are for adults. Varsity don hails Delta-based author His children’s literature include “The Lion and the Monkey” (2014), Manila Publishers Company, Nigeria; and “The Tortoise and the Princess” (2015), Manila Publishers Company, Nigeria The renowned poet, known for performing his poems or appearing in functions in his native Ohafia war costume, was said to have had a premonition about his death owing to his epitaph which he wrote on his twitter handle @Okesisi in September 2018 which reads, “My Epitaph. Here lies a man who loved virtue and art, and gave to both his fortunes and his heart. Ikeogu Oke (1967 –).”

 

Signed

Wole Adedoyin

PRO (South)