We are delighted to announce Alaga Unwomanumu as the winner of the Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize 2025.

This year’s prize was judged by Maryhilde Obasiota Ibe, whose careful reading and thoughtful deliberation guided the final decision. Alaga Unwomanumu’s winning poem stood out for its artistic excellence, depth of vision, and compelling engagement with language.

As the winner, Alaga Unwomanumu will receive a cash prize of USD 150.00, and the winning poem will be published in our next issue.

We also extend our warm congratulations to Onyekachi Iloh, who emerges as the runner-up. We commend the strength and originality of the work submitted.

Finally, we offer our sincere thanks to all poets who submitted their work for the 2025 Kofi Awoonor Poetry Prize. The volume and quality of submissions made this year’s selection both exciting and challenging, and we are grateful for the trust you place in us by sharing your work.

Congratulations once again to our winner and runner-up, and thank you to everyone who participated.

Past Winner(s)

• Iyanuoluwa Adenle, 2024

  Guest Judged by: Othuke Umukoro