The Words Finesse

Poets in Nigeria (PIN), University of Ibadan (UI) Connect Center, enriched with passionate young writers and literary enthusiasts, will, on the 27th of July, 2018 gather writers, spoken word artists, orators and literary enthusiasts to a big literary event at the University of Ibadan. 

The trio events which will hold at Arts Theatre, UI will feature competitions ranging from Spoken Word Slam to Oratory Contest to kick start at about 11 o' clock in the morning. 

Also in the evening, the event will be spiced up with a stage performance of "Frantic Vultures" by Gabriel Okonkwo, directed by Raji Joseph. 

While Oratory Contest will be on the topic, "Security Challenges in Nigeria: The way forward", participation for Spoken Word Slam will be by invitations to the shortlisted participants who would have forwarded their biodata -Name, Department, Faculty, and Contact details- to spokenwordslamUI@gmail.com with an 8-line poem on any theme, on or before Monday, 23rd of July.

Set to attend this promising event as guest poets include both established and budding poets such as Eriata Oribhabor (President, PIN), Servio Gbadamosi, Aniemeka Ndubuisi Martins, Ibrahim Odugbemi, Lawal Kafayat Gold, Olatunde Busayo, Mobolaji Sofoluwe, Muhammed Suleiman, Lanase Hussein Kehinde, Okunlola Olayinka Azeezat and others.

Orators and poets from Halls of Residence in the University of Ibadan and other Universities will be in attendance. 

Poets in Nigeria (PIN) is a literary body dedicated to the growth of Literature in Nigeria and the world. Over the years, PIN has been able to organize literary events and recorded successes across states in Nigeria. 

It also has Centres in various Universities across Nigeria where events are held annually.

The 2018 Babishai-Niwe Poetry Award has announced a longlist of 35 names.

Twenty-six (26) of the longlist are from Nigerian, Three (3) from Kenya, Two (2) from Zimbabwe; while one (1) poet each from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi, made it to the list.

The 2018 Award judged by Remi Raj, Rehema Nanfuka, and Alfred Msadala produced the following longlist:

The winner of this year Award will be announced at the 2018 Babishai-Niwe Poetry Festival from 3-6 August, in Kapchorwa and Mbale, Uganda.

Founded in 2009 by Uganda’s Beverly Nambozo Nsengiyunva, director of Babishai-Niwe Poetry Foundation, the BN Poetry Award was originally aimed at highlighting poetry by Ugandan women. 

The first winners were Lilian Akampurira Aujo in 2009, Sophie Brenda Alal in 2010), Sanyu Kisaka in 2011, and Susan Piwang in 2012. 

After the prize was expanded to all African poets, the winners were Tom Jalio in 2014, Adeeko Ibukun in 2015, and Sanya Noel and Moyosore Orimoloye in 2016.

Read the Longlisted Poems for the Awards

A controversial literary critic, Ikhide R. Ikheloa, in a Twitter chat on SynCity’s “Literary Lords and Ladies” series, asserted that the Caine Prize has degenerated to the celebration of mediocrity,  orthodoxy, and exhausted cliches.

Brittle Paper, an online literary site is calling for nomination of works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and essays or think pieces for consideration by its editorial team for the 2018 edition of its Awards.

Celebrated Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has said that she feels sorry for men because they can’t have the experience of giving birth.