The 9th issue of The Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit) is slated for release later in April 2025, and here is announcing the covers and contributors.
JAY Lit Issue 9 boasts of exceptional creations in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, plays, photography, visual arts, and critical essays, by African writers from Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Angola. There are contributions from relatively new names as well as seasoned veterans, with what they have in common being their shared creative excellence.
The cover and aesthetic theme are inspired by digital art by the multi-talented Ilemobayo Ojo. Natasha Devalia and Eltina Gaspar are some of the others who contributed some visually pleasing content to the issue. Among other names, there are creative pieces from Bash Amuneni, Eugen Bacon, Olayinka Yaqub, Bwalya S. Kondwani, Elizabeth Nafula, and many more. We’re also proud to feature members of the Idembeka Creative Writing Fellowship’s 2025 cohort, thanks to the fellowship’s founders, Frances Ogamba, Kasimma, and Mubanga Kalimamukwento.
Needless to say, this issue would be impossible without the meticulous toiling of our peer reviewers, interns, and editors––all volunteers contributing their time and skills to the growth and positioning of the journal in pursuit of its mission of empowering African youths through literature and the arts.
Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry contributors to this issue will be considered for The 2025 JAY Lit Awards.
The full list is as follows:
POETRY – Mariam Mohammed, Bash Amuneni, Emmanuel G G Yamba, Anna Zgambo, Richeal Barnes, I Echo, Eugen Bacon
FICTION – Karen Njelita, Fatima Okhuosami, Harrison Ncube, Olayinka Yaqub, Mark Kennedy Nsereko, Mulenga Mupinde, Oluwabunmi Adaramola, Bwalya S. Kondwani, Jesimiel Williams, Mifa Adejumo, Fatima Mohammed
NON FICTION -Rukayat Ogunlana, Solomon Idah Hamza
PLAYS – Elizabeth Nafula, Chimezie Umeoka
PHOTOGRAPHY – Eltina Gaspar, Jola Praise Ademola
VISUAL ART – Natasha Devalia, Ismail Yusuf Olumoh, Ilemobayo Ojo
CRITICAL ESSAYS – Ibraheem Uthman, Aminat Adesanya
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.
As readers await the release of JAY Lit Issue 9, the JAY Lit editorial staff is already preparing to receive submission for the journal’s 10th issue. The submission window will be open all through May 2025.
