Winners & shortlist, The Brunel University African Poetry Prize

Congratulations to the shortlisted poets: Peter Akinlabi from Nigeria; Viola Allo from Cameroon; Lena Bezawork Grönlund from Ethiopia; Kayo Chingonyi from Zambia; Chielozona Eze from Nigeria; Warsan Shire from Somalia.

The Brunel University African Poetry Prize is a new poetry prize of £3000 aimed at the development, celebration and promotion of poetry from Africa. The prize is sponsored by Brunel University and partnered by Commonwealth Writers, the Africa Centre UK, and the African Poetry Book Fund USA.

The winner will be announced on 30th April 2013. For more information on the prize, please click here to visit the website.

The judges are Sharmilla Beezmohun, Kwame Dawes, Karen McCarthy Woolf, Mpalive Msiska and Chair, Bernardine Evaristo. Out of 655 entries, the judges came up with a shortlist of six poets, none of whom has yet published a full length book.

Meanwhile, Kenyan poet Clifton Gachagua’s manuscript, Madman at Kilifi, has been selected by the African Poetry Book Fund & Series for the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets. Congratulations, Clifton.