Founded by Adedayo Agarau, the Arole Agarawu Foundation is focused on preserving African cultural heritage and promoting artistic excellence.
By Emmanuel “Waziri” Okoro
The inaugural Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize has announced its 10-poet shortlist, selected from 356 submissions received from poets across 21 countries.
The shortlist, announced by the Arole Agarawu Foundation on 14 September 2026, marks the latest stage in the inaugural edition of the prize, which opened for submissions in February and called for original, unpublished work from poets of African descent around the world.
More than 3,500 poems were read throughout the selection process. Following several rounds of reading, discussion and deliberation, the 356 submissions were narrowed to a longlist of 30 poets before the final 10 were selected.
The shortlisted poets and their respective works are:
- Isaiah Adepoju — “Alfred: Cantos” (Nigeria)
- Rasheed Ayinla Shehu Shehu — “Baggage of Assorted Wishes” (Nigeria)
- Ameen Animashaun — “Dog Fighting a Heron” (Nigeria)
- Salma Abdulatif Yusuf — “GRAINS OF PARADISE” (Kenya)
- Chiwenite Onyekwelu — “John the Baptist” (Nigeria)
- Blessing Omeiza Ojo — “Monologue with God in his Bivouac” (Nigeria)
- Migwi Mwangi — “Ndombolo Creation Story” (United States)
- Edinam Denoo — “Bonu Bonu Kpoo” (Ghana)
- Sydney Mayes — “By The Sweat of The Mountain’s Brow” (United States)
- Rafiat Lamidi — “The Lord of Loneliness” (Nigeria)
The shortlist spans four countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the United States — reflecting the geographical reach of the prize’s inaugural call.
Established in memory of Alhaji Arole Agarawu (1930s–1995), the prize takes its name from the late West African songwriter and composer whose work contributed to Yoruba musical traditions including Sakara, Apala and Waka. Despite his influence on these forms, his lyrical contributions received limited formal recognition during his lifetime.
The Arole Agarawu Foundation established the prize to honour his legacy while creating a platform for contemporary poets to receive recognition for their artistic and intellectual labour.
The prize seeks to recognise poetry that demonstrates an engagement with form, language and rhythm while exploring both the traditions and evolving possibilities of African poetics. When submissions opened earlier this year, the Foundation described the initiative as “a commitment to memory” and “an invitation to poets to sound the gong of the Black lyric and to be recognised for the weight and resonance of their voices”.
The 10 shortlisted poets will now advance to the final stage of the competition.
The winner of the Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize will receive $1,000, with the recipient to be selected by the guest judge from the final shortlist. A second $1,000 award, the Arole Grayling Wraith Prize, will be presented to an eligible shortlisted poet living on the African continent. The award also includes a production-grade video of a selected poem, produced by media partner Grayling and Wraith.
A poet may qualify for both awards. However, if the overall winner is a poet living on the African continent, the Foundation’s board may award the Arole Grayling Wraith Prize to another shortlisted poet.
Further details about the final stage of the inaugural prize are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Founded by Adedayo Agarau, the Arole Agarawu Foundation is focused on preserving African cultural heritage and promoting artistic excellence. Through literary prizes and engagement with the literary community, the Foundation aims to preserve cultural legacies while supporting contemporary artistic voices.