The entire shortlist for the JAY Lit Prize for Poetry 2024 have been honoured in the 2024 SEVHAGE Prizes by SEVHAGE Publishers, with Arikewusola Abdul Awal and Aman Bibi Gray jointly claiming the SEVHAGE-JAY Lit/Hyginus Ekwuazi Poetry Prize 2024, while Timi Sanni and Salama Wainaina were also awarded the SEVHAGE-JAY Lit/S. Agema Honourable Poems 2024.
Arikewusola Abdul Awal and Aman Bibi Gray were awarded the SEVHAGE-JAY Lit/Hyginus Ekwuazi Poetry Prize 2024 for their respective poems, “Four Incantations for the Earth” and “Oil on Canvas (2024)“, both of which were published in JAY Lit’s 7th issue. The poets will receive a prize money of thirty eight thousand Nigerian naira (N38,000) each. They will also receive certificates and have their winning poems published as part of the SEVHAGE DEEP COLLECTION 2024.
Following their joint JAY Lit Prize for Poetry 2024 win, Timi Sanni and Salama Wainaina have now also won the SEVHAGE-JAY Lit/S. Agema Honourable Poems 2024 for their respective poems, “State of Emergency” published in JAY Lit’s 7th issue and “Three Deaths” published in the 8th issue. The poets will receive a prize money of five thousand Nigerian naira (N5,000) each. They will also receive certificates and have their winning poems published as part of the SEVHAGE DEEP COLLECTION 2024.
SEVHAGE Publishers is a Nigerian publishing house and literary development initiative founded in 2012, dedicated to promoting African literature and fostering emerging voices. With over 60 published titles, SEVHAGE collaborates with established and emerging authors to produce works that reflect diverse African narratives. The organization is known for championing creative excellence through its literary prizes, including the K & L Prize for Fiction, the Eugenia Abu/SEVHAGE International Prize for Creative Non-Fiction, and the E. E. Sule/SEVHAGE Prize for African Literary Criticism and much more!
In addition to publishing, SEVHAGE actively supports the literary community by organizing events such as the Benue Book and Arts Festival, which brings together writers, artists, and literary enthusiasts to celebrate African culture. SEVHAGE’s initiatives not only recognize literary achievement but also create opportunities for engagement and growth within the African literary space.
Winners will be announced, and certificates and prizes will be presented during the Benue Book and Arts Festival, scheduled for February 20th to 22nd, 2025, in Makurdi.
Congratulations to Awal, Aman, Timi, and Salama!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
