Recently updated on October 24th, 2022 at 02:26 pm
Ayokunle Samuel Betiku has emerged overall winner of the 9th Eriata Oribhabor Poetry Prize (EOPP 2020) with his poem ‘Beyond the Veil of Walls’.
The second-placed poem is ‘Searching through the Heavens’ by Osho Tunde while Yvonne Nezianya’s ‘Deathless Eyes’ emerged third place.
Ayokunle Samuel Betiku receives a cash prize of ₦50,000 while runners-up Osho and Nezianya receives a cash prize of ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 respectively.
Other poets who made the Top 20 shortlist are: Tukur Ridwan, Ehi-Kowochio Ogwiji, Idio Phebe Ehikowoicho, Nnadi Samuel Ifeanyi, Abdulbaseet Yusuff, Olaitan Universe (2), Offor, Wisdom Ogbonna Ebuka Evans, Oluwatosin Ayobami, Shedrack Opeyemi Akanbi, Chisom Charles Nnanna, Blessing Omeiza Ojo, Rahma O. Jimoh, Aiyejinna Abraham O. (2) and Pamilerin Jacob.
All the top 20 poems are featured in an anthology titled BEYOND THE VEIL OF WALLS after the winning entry.
Ayokunle Samuel Betiku writes from the city of Ondo, South-West Nigeria. His works have appeared or are forthcoming in journals and anthologies, including Kalahari Review, African Writer, Lunaris Review, Ngiga Review, Praxis, Libretto, Kreative Diadem, Shallow Tales Review, Pandemic Publications & elsewhere.
Osho Tunde is a graduate of Accounting and a writer who turns to poetry to bear witness to the joy and sadness within his body. His haiku recently made the Babishai Niwe haiku 2020 longlist. His works are up and forthcoming in Praxis, CỌ́N-SCÌÒ, Erogospel, The Quills, Independence Anthology of Poems, Rape Anthology by Society of Young Nigerian writers and elsewhere.
Yonne Nezianya is a Nigerian writer. Her short story, Wonders of Spirits, was shortlisted for the K and L Prize 2020. A nominee for the Young Writers and Creatives Award, her works have appeared and are forthcoming in Glass Poetry, The Roadrunner Review, The Rising Phoenix Press, The Bitchin’ Kitsch, Afritondo, Sub-Saharan Magazine, Praxis Magazine and elsewhere.
The Eriata Oribhabor Poetry Prize (EOPP) was instituted in 2012 as an annual Prize to give a much-needed attention to Nigerian poetry and encourage young Nigerian poets to use poetry as a tool for social change.
David Okafor won the 2019 edition of the prize.
