Uzoigwe Miracle and Goodness Adejare have emerged winners of the inaugural Pius Oleghe Poetry and Literary Awards after a competitive selection process.
The organizers announced the winners in a statement signed by Prof. Remi Raji and Nnamdi Okose, Literary Directors of the Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize, on Saturday in Abuja.
The competition, themed “Nigeria of Our Dreams,” attracted entries from young and emerging poets across Nigeria, with organizers describing the submissions as a reflection of the country’s diverse literary talent.
Uzoigwe won the Young Voices category, which was open to poets aged 12 to 17, with judges praising her creativity and strong poetic craftsmanship.
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Adejare emerged winner of the Emerging Poets category, designed for writers aged 18 to 35, for demonstrating artistic excellence and thoughtful engagement with the competition’s theme.
The organizers also announced that shortlisted poems would be featured in the inaugural Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize Anthology, which will preserve a wider selection of outstanding entries from the competition’s first edition.
They praised the overwhelming response to the award, noting that the quality and volume of submissions highlighted poetry’s continued role as a platform for imagination, creativity and national reflection.
The organizers further commended the judging panel for maintaining professionalism, fairness and integrity throughout the evaluation process, which led to the selection of the inaugural winners.
They added that the first edition of the competition marks the beginning of a wider initiative to identify and support literary talent while creating opportunities for emerging writers in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
NAN
