POETRY SUBMISSION TO CELEBRATE THE NIYI OSUNDARE @ 70

Gardener of Words, Warrior of Lights: A Special Publication in Honour of Niyi Osundare

Niyi Osundare, internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning Nigerian poet and essayist, was born on March 12, 1947. He was educated at the Universities of Ibadan, Leeds and York. His importance for African poetry, earlier noted in his Songs of the Marketplace and Village Voices, became more established with the publication of The Eye of the Earth, winner of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1986, the same year that Wole Soyinka became the first African winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

Osundare is one of the most celebrated living Nigerian poets today, serving as poetry mentor, judge and motivator to individuals, institutions, literary groups and organisations all over the world. He taught for many years in Nigeria’s premier varsity, the University of Ibadan, where he served as Chair of the Department of English from 1993 to 1997. Osundare is currently Distinguished Professor of English, at the University of New Orleans, USA, and Honorary Professor-at-Large, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

IBPF, in collaboration with the University of Ibadan, is putting together a collection of poems to celebrate Niyi Osundare, unique gardener of words, man of letters, on his seventieth birthday.

This is an open call to all, to submit original poems which celebrate and reflect the vision and values of Niyi Osundare. Interested contributors are invited to send in a maximum number of three poems, including a brief biodata of not more than 150 words.

Please send submissions to ibadanpoetryfoundation@gmail.com, copy a.rajioyelade@ui.edu.ng

Deadline of submission: October 10, 2016

Remi Raji
Jumoke Verissimo
Emman Egya Sule

CALL FOR SUBMISSION: IBPF POETRY MENTORSHIP/RESIDENCY PROGRAMME

This is to invite interested poets to apply for the first IBPF Poetry Workshop. The Workshop is specifically for the upcoming and potential Nigerian writer who desires to be mentored by an established poet.

The mentorship programme is an 8-week workshop via virtual interaction including email exchanges between mentor-poet and mentee-poet. This interaction will lead to an invitation to a Residency in Ibadan, for selected poets who fulfil communicated objectives in the course of their mentorship programme.

We welcome applications from all interested poets, including beginners and others with publishing history seeking further competence in the art. The main requirement to participation is an evidence of considerable commitment to form/presentation.

The first IBPF Poetry Workshop would begin on 12 June 2016, and we are encouraging YOU to apply.

Submit 5 poems with a brief note on why you think you should be a part of this workshop. Please note that what we seek is promise, not perfection.

Please add a professional biography including publications, degrees, and some relevant personal information, and the poets you admire, if applicable.

Deadline for submissions is May 2, 2016, 12PM GMT.

List of selected poets would be announced on this website.

For more information, send an email to ibadanpoetryfoundation@gmail.com

Culled from Ibadan Poetry Foundation