Young Nigerians Win ₦2 Million in Poetry Awards

Uzoigwe Miracle and Aremu Goodness Adejare have been announced as the winners of the maiden edition of the Pius Oleghe Poetry and Literary Awards (POPALS), each receiving ₦1,000,000. Uzoigwe Miracle won in the Young Voices category (ages 12–17), while Aremu Goodness Adejare won in the Emerging Poets category (ages 18–35).

The awards were coordinated by Professor Remi Raji and Nnamdi Okose, who served as literary directors. The competition attracted over 145 entries from Nigeria and beyond, assessed by a distinguished panel of judges including Prof. Maria Ajima, Prof. Emmanuel Sule Egya, Prof. Chimalum Nwankwo, Dr. Deji Ige, and Prof. Chike Okoye.

The judges noted the high quality of submissions, which reflected the depth of literary talent among young Nigerian poets. The shortlisted poems will be included in the inaugural Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize Anthology.

The awards aim to nurture and celebrate literary excellence and provide opportunities for emerging writers.