The Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit) is pleased to unveil its 7th issue, released to the public from today, July 22, 2024.
The issue, which is the first since the journal’s rebrand earlier in March 2024, features poetry, short stories, personal essays, photography, and art, from a perfect blend of award-winning veterans and relatively new names, all of whom wowed the editorial team with their awesome talents. The featured pieces collectively explore a wide range of African experiences through various genres and forms.
The cover art is from Sheg Aranmolate’s Obirin Series which, in February 2023, was selected for exhibition at The Kimpton Angeler’s Hotel in South Beach Miami, USA. And among the many exciting pieces in the issue is Mustapha Enesi’s 2021 K&L Prize-winning story, “Kesandu”.
Contributors to the issue are from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. While most of this issue’s contributions are in English, the journal is pleased to have also included a poem written entirely in Yorùbà.
The full list of contributors is as follows:
POETRY: Taofeek Ayeyemi, Ajise Vincent, Annah Atane, Timi Sanni, Arikewusola Abdul Awal, Aman Bibi Gray, Leah Ojúọlápé Adéyẹyè. SHORT STORIES: Mustapha Enesi, Dismas Okombo, Enit’ayanfe Ayosojumi Akinsanya, Súnmisọ́lá Olúdé, Adédoyin Àjàyí, Demilade Oladapo, Olamide Shobowale, Arjun Aggarwal, Thabo Clive Mathonsi, Ekemini Pius. PERSONAL ESSAYS: Evidence Egwuono Adjarho, MaryAnn Ifeanacho. PHOTOGRAPHY: Nnebuifé Kwubeï, Tajudeen Alaya. ART: Sheg Aranmolate.
JAY Lit publishes literature written by, about, and/or for born-in-Africa youths. The journal’s definition of ‘African’ is not related to colour, race or ethnicity, but rather place of origin and heritage. The youth age category is from 15 to 35 years. JAY Lit publishes literature written by Africans in this age category and by other older individuals who are writing with African youths in mind, whether the writers are resident on the continent or in the diaspora.
JAY Lit has a multilingual approach, publishing work written in any of the countless traditional tongues or in the colonial English, French, or Portuguese. The journal is proud to be at the forefront of championing the young ones who are staking their claims at literary superstardom, as well as celebrating an older generation that has inspired today’s youth.
The JAY Lit editorial staff is already preparing to receive submission for the journal’s 8th issue. The submission window will open in the last week of July 2024 and stay open until the end of August 2024.
Click here to explore the new issue.
Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim
Ibrahim is a Nigerian writer and editor currently based in the UK. He won the Quramo Writers' Prize in 2022 and was selected for the Best Small Fictions anthology in 2024. He was a finalist for the Faber Children's FAB Prize (2023), the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship (2022), a Masters Review anthology prize (2023), and twice for the Moon City Short Fiction Award (2022 & 2023). He has also been longlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (2022), the Laura Kinsella Fellowship (2022), and the Dzanc Diverse Voices Prize (2021). He has multiple nominations for both the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net. Among other things, he is currently the Managing Editor at JAY Lit and a Fiction Judge at NYC Midnight. He’s @heemthewriter on Twitter and Facebook, and @writtenbyheem on Instagram and Threads. His work can be found on https://linktr.ee/heemthewriter.
