Nigerian Writers Win N2m in Pius Oleghe 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 N1 million in prize money. Miracle won the Young Voices category for participants aged 12 to 17, while Adejare won the Emerging Poets category for those aged 18 to 35.

The awards aimed to nurture emerging literary talents and included publication opportunities, certificates, and mentorship. The winners were selected from over 145 entries by a panel of judges comprising Professors Maria Ajima, Emmanuel Sule Egya, Chimalum Nwankwo, Chike Okoye, and Dr Deji Ige.

The competition, coordinated by Professor Remi Raji and Nnamdi Okose, was themed “Nigeria of Our Dreams.” The judges praised the quality of the submissions, highlighting the originality and artistic excellence of the winning poems. Shortlisted entries will be published in the inaugural Pius Oleghe Poetry Prize Anthology, reflecting the wealth of literary talent in Nigeria.