The longlist contains a total of 30 poems which include:
- “What the Wind Remembers About Tomorrow” by Christian Emecheta
- “The Loss of God” by Ariyo Feranmi
- “The House That Ate Its Children” by Adeoso Samuel Omotayo
- “Endangered Specie” by Jewo Oghenetega
- “Yeletawa” by Marvellous Mmesomachi Igwe
- “Sisyphus” by Eliongema Udofia
- “When My Man Returns Home from Sambissa” by Yohanna Daniel
- “Garden of Wonder” by Alfred Olaiya
- “
Collocation” byUtibe Hanson - “The Day the Sky Refused to Be Blue” by Paul Olayimika
- “Republic of Rage and Roses” by Osieka Osinimu Alao
- Untitled Entry by Simon Akpama
- “Navigating Valentine’s Day with Humor” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
- “Aubade with Faith” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
- “Dirges of the Scorched Earth” by Anyigor Chris Monday
- “Blood at the Gate: Elegy for Ezza Effium” by Anyigor Chris Monday
- “Dawn” by Ferdinand Emmanuel Somtochukwu
- “There’s a Blackhole Somewhere in My Body” by Akanni Festus Olaniyi
- “Ode to Joe Ushie” by Vitalis Chinecherem Iloanwusi
- “Tough Love: Memories” by Chijioke Michael Enechi
- “We Marry the Thunder to Delay the Rain” by Agbeye Oburumu
- “Transgressors” by Adesiyan Oluwapelumi
- “Something About Flowers” by Gerald Onyebuchi Ewa
- “D Is for Delta” by Ifesinachi Nwadike
- “Lagos Never Sleeps” by Chimezie Umeoka
- “Nothing More’ by Utibe Hanson
- “Portrait of a Man on Fire” by Chimezie Umeoka
- “We Buried the Rain with Our Names Still in Our Mouth” by Agbeye Oburumu
- “Asphalt Prayers” by Anyigor Chris Monday
- “July 7, 1967” by Damilola Omotoyinbo
Congratulations to all the poets who made it to the longlist. Well done!
Please, kindly visit the official website and social media handles of the prize for information on the shortlist.
Thank you.