Nigerian poet and translator Rasaq Malik Gbọ́láhàn has been announced as the winner of the Literature category at the inaugural Future Awards Africa Independent (TFAAi) in Oyo State.
Rasaq Malik Gbọ́láhàn emerged as the winner after being nominated alongside Oluwabukola Atanda Abdulrafiu, Oladosu Michael Emerald and Makinde Olubusayo Aderonke for the Oyo State edition of the award. The four nominees were announced in August as part of TFAAi’s inaugural state-level awards across Oyo, Abia, Kano and Rivers states.
A Nigerian poet, performer, translator, essayist and emerging digital humanities scholar, Rasaq Malik Gbọ́láhàn is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Agbowó and co-founder of Àtẹ́lẹ́wọ́, the first digital journal dedicated to publishing literary works written in Yorùbá. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in publications including POETRY, Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, African American Review, Beloit, Colorado Review, Crab Orchard Review, LitHub, Michigan Quarterly Review, Minnesota Review, New Orleans Review, Prairie Schooner, Poet Lore, Rattle, Salt Hill, Spillway, Stand, Verse Daily, and elsewhere. He is also the author of The Origin of Wounds, his debut full-length poetry collection published by Anhinga Press. The collection won the 2024 Anhinga Prize for Poetry and was recently named a co-winner of the 2025 Julie Suk Award alongside Arah Ko’s Brine Orchid.
Congratulations, Rasaq Malik Gbọ́láhàn, on this huge feat!
