The Joe Ushie Poetry Prize

2026 Longlist/Shortlist

Longlist

The longlist contains a total of 30 poems which include:

  1. “What the Wind Remembers About Tomorrow” by Christian Emecheta
  2. “The Loss of God” by Ariyo Feranmi
  3. “The House That Ate Its Children” by Adeoso Samuel Omotayo
  4. “Endangered Specie” by Jewo Oghenetega
  5. “Yeletawa” by Marvellous Mmesomachi Igwe
  6. “Sisyphus” by Eliongema Udofia
  7. “When My Man Returns Home from Sambissa” by Yohanna Daniel
  8. “Garden of Wonder” by Alfred Olaiya
  9. “Nothing More” and “Collocation” by Utibe Hanson
  10. “The Day the Sky Refused to Be Blue” by Paul Olayimika 
  11. “Republic of Rage and Roses” by Osieka Osinimu Alao
  12. Untitled Entry by Simon Akpama
  13. “Navigating Valentine’s Day with Humor” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
  14. “Aubade with Faith” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
  15. “Dirges of the Scorched Earth” and Other Poems by Anyigor Chris Monday
  16. “Dawn” by Ferdinand Emmanuel Somtochukwu
  17. “There’s a Blackhole Somewhere in My Body” by Akanni Festus Olaniyi
  18. “Ode to Joe Ushie” by Vitalis Chinecherem Iloanwusi
  19. “Tough Love: Memories” by Chijioke Michael Enechi
  20. “We Marry the Thunder to Delay the Rain” by Agbeye Oburumu
  21. “Transgressors” by Adesiyan Oluwapelumi
  22. “Something About Flowers” by Gerald Onyebuchi Ewa
  23. “D Is for Delta” by Ifesinachi Nwadike
  24. “Lagos Never Sleeps” and “Portraits of a Man on Fire” by Chimezie Umeoka
  25. “Nothing More’ by Utibe Hanson
  26. “We Buried the Rain with Our Names Still in Our Mouth” by Agbeye Oburumu
  27. “July 7, 1967” by Damilola Omotoyinbo

Shortlist

The shortlist contains a total of 10 poems which include:

  1. “Navigating Valentine’s Day with Humour” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
  2. “The House That Ate Its Children” by Adeoso Samuel Omotayo
  3. “We Buried the Rain with Our Names Still in Our Mouth” by Agbeye Oburumu
  4. “Transgressors” by Adesiyan Oluwapelumi
  5. “Sisyphus” by Eliongema Udofia
  6. “What the Wind Remembers About Tomorrow” by Christian Emecheta
  7. “The Loss of God” by Ariyo Feranmi
  8. “Endangered Specie” by Jewo Oghenetega
  9. “Blood at the Gate: Elegy for Ezza Effium” by Anyigor Chris Monday
  10. “Tough Love: Memories” by Chijioke Michael Enechi

Congratulations to all the poets who made it to the longlist/shortlist. Well done!

Please, kindly visit the official website and social media handles of the prize for information on the longlist/shortlist.

Thank you.