The Department of English at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), in collaboration with its Creative Writers’ Club, has announced the inaugural Professor Mousah Traoré Poetry Prize, a new literary initiative designed to spotlight emerging poetic voices across Ghanaian tertiary institutions.
The prize honours Professor Moussa Traoré, Head of the Department of English at UCC, whose scholarship in Postcoloniality and Black Diasporan Studies continues to shape conversations around African and African diaspora literature.
In keeping with his academic focus, the competition invites poems that interrogate, construct, or deconstruct themes of Black history, power, migration, slavery, identity, memory, and belonging. Writers are encouraged to experiment boldly with form and voice while engaging African and diasporic experiences.
Eligibility and Guidelines
- The competition is open exclusively to students enrolled in Ghanaian tertiary institutions — including colleges, universities, and polytechnics.
- Entrants must not have published a full-length manuscript in any genre. Each participant may submit a maximum of two unpublished poems, of any style or subject, provided they engage with the outlined themes. Poems must not exceed 30 lines.
- AI-generated works are strictly prohibited.
- Submissions that fail to comply with the guidelines will be automatically disqualified.
Prizes and Mentorship
The prize offers both financial reward and literary mentorship.
The First Prize winner will receive:
- 1,500 Ghana Cedis
- Autographed books from Professor Moussa Traoré
- Autographed books and mentorship from award-winning poet Gabriel Awuah Mainoo
- A copy of the Ghana Poetry Festival anthology What They Say Does Not Have an End
The First Runner-Up will receive:
- 1,000 Ghana Cedis
- Autographed books from Professor Moussa Traoré
- Autographed books and mentorship from Gabriel Awuah Mainoo
- A copy of the Ghana Poetry Festival anthology What They Say Does Not Have an End
Submission Process
Entries may be submitted either in person or via email.
For in-person submissions, participants must:
- Typeset poems in Times New Roman, font size 12, with 1.5 line spacing
- Print poems on A4 paper
- Enclose printed poems, a copy of the school ID, and the date of submission in a brown envelope
- Address the envelope to the Office of the English Department
- Clearly write your name, contact details, and “Prof. M. Traoré Poetry Prize” behind the envelope
For email submissions:
- Send poems in a Word document (no PDFs)
- Attach a copy of the school ID
- Include a brief biodata
- Use the subject line: “Prof. M. Traoré Poetry Prize.”
- Send to: Traore.poetryprize@outlook.com
For inquiries, organisers can be reached via WhatsApp at +447565125428, by phone at 0548460517, or via email at Traore.poetryprize@outlook.com.
The prize opens on February 14, 2026, and closes on April 14, 2026, at 11:59 GMT.
About Professor Moussa Traoré
Professor Moussa Traoré serves at the Department of English, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. His academic work spans Comparative Literature, Postcolonial Studies, and Black Diasporan Studies. He has published widely in reputable journals and presented at international conferences across Africa, Asia, and the United States.
He is co-editor of Fight for Freedom: Black Resistance and Identity and Realigning and Repositioning Africa: Confronting Challenges and Charting Its Own Courses in the 21st Century, and author of Pulse of the Sub-Saharan Dunes: The Socioeconomic and Political Moments.
The Judge
The inaugural edition will be judged by JAY Lit poetry editor, Gabriel Awuah Mainoo, a Ghanaian creative practitioner whose work has gained international recognition. Mainoo is the author of Lyrical Textiles (Illuminated Press, U.S.), We Are Moulting Birds (Light Factory Publication, Canada), and co-author of Hvor End Havet Skyller Dig Op (Forlaget Silkerfyret, Denmark).
Gabriel has received fellowships from institutions including Hong Kong Baptist University, the Aarhus Literature Center in Denmark, and the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora. His awards include the Africa Haiku Prize, the Singapore Poetry Prize, the Ghana Association of Writers Literary Awards, and the Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry, among others. He currently edits poetry for Goat Shed Press (UK) and The Journal of African Youth Literature.
With its focus on postcolonial inquiry and diasporic imagination, the Professor Mousah Traoré Poetry Prize arrives as a significant addition to Ghana’s growing literary landscape, offering both recognition and mentorship to the next generation of poets.
Best of luck to all applicants!
