We are thrilled to announce the longlisted entries of the annual Akachi Chukwuemeka prize for literature. This literary prize is $100, and will be awarded to a single poem by an African writer, that raises awareness about mental health and at the same time demonstrates the transforming power of literature.
- EKPHRASIS III: LANDSCAPE WITH MEMORY, SODÏQ OYÈKÀNMÍ
- COSPLAYING AS MIRACLE MIKE, MUIZ AJAYI
- ELEGY, ENIOLA ABDULROQEEB AROLOWO
- WILD ROSE, ADEPOJU ISAIAH GBENGA
- HOW DO YOU CREATE ORDERLINESS OUT OF CHAOS, SOLOMON HAMZA
- MY SOUL NEEDS CHLOROPHYLL, JOHN EBUTE
- FACT-BASED JOURNALISM ABOUT DEPRESSION, BLESSING OMEIZA OJO
- PSYCHE EVALUATION RESULT MADE PUBLIC, FORTUNE SIMEON
- RESURGE, JOEMARIO UMANA
- AT THE SERMON THE IMAM PREACHES ABOUT HOPE, ADAMU YAHUZA
- EPIC, DANIEL AONDONA
- THE ONLY ELEGY, ABUBAKAR IBRAHIM
- CONFETTI BECAUSE EVEN IN DARKNESS MY LIFE IS A MIRACLE, ABDULRAZAQ SALIHU
- THE BLADE THAT IS CUTTING YOUR VEINS HAS DRILLED ANOTHER’S BONES, ABDULRAHEEM ABDULBASIT
- HERE AND THERE, FATIMA QUADRI
- I FORGOT HOW TO DIE, CLEMENT ABAYOMI
- FINAL LEAVINGS, CHIMEZIE UMEOKA
- SOMETIMES I GOOGLE HOW TO DIE WITHOUT BLEEDING AND STILL MAKE IT TO WORK ON MONDAY, CP NWANKWO
- VELLUM, MARVELLOUS MMESOMACHI IGWE
- THIS POEM MIGHT BE A LIE, SA’ADA ISA YAHAYA
Shortlisted entries will be announced on 12th May, 2025. All long-listed entries will be published by Arts Lounge, in a collection to be released on the theme of mental health, later this year.
