Call for Entries: Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) 2020

Deadline: 31^st March, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) is an initiative of Poets in Nigeria (PIN) aimed at stimulating literary creativity and encouraging critical thinking among Nigerian undergraduates. Since its inception in 2016 at the University of Ibadan, the prize has received about 2500 entries from students representing over 100 tertiary institutions (including universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, schools of nursing and seminary schools).

Reputed as the foremost poetry prize for Nigerian students, the NSPP has awarded over a million Naira (1,000,000) to winning entrants and published 400 poems authored by selected student-poets in four anthologies: The Sun Will Rise Again (2016), Mixed History (2017), Deep Dreams (2018) and Micah (2019).

Notably, tertiary institutions such as University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu and Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa hosted the NSPP Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Previous grand prize winners of the NSPP include Noah Oladele (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; 2016), Bakre Fadil Adedamola (University of Ibadan; 2017), Godstime Tamunofiri Iberiyenari (Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa; 2018) and Ogugua Micah Okoye (Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu; 2019).

The fifth edition of the Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) opens for submission between 15^th January and 31st March, 2020. Interested Nigerian undergraduates are expected to submit a 30-line poem on any theme of their choice before the deadline.

PRIZES 

Aside rewarding the prize winners (top three entrants) with a total cash prize of ₦500,000, the top 100 entrants will each receive a certificate of excellence and complimentary copy of the NSPP anthology which features their works.

·        1st Prize – ₦250,000

·        2nd Prize – ₦150,000

·        3rd Prize – ₦100,000

·        Consolation Prize – ₦25,000 each for 4^th and 5^th best entrants

ELIGIBILITY

·         Open to all Nigerian undergraduates studying in Nigeria and the diaspora

·         Entrants must be from a recognized tertiary institution

GUIDELINES

·        Submissions are to be made at https://nspp.poetsinnigeria.org.ng, with strict adherence to the instructions thereon.

·        Poems must be original intellectual property of the entrants.

·        An entrant is entitled to a single entry of 30 lines maximum.

·        No fixed themes. Entrants can write on any relevant theme.

·        Entries submitted must be previously unpublished. A submission discovered to have defaulted on this rule will be automatically voided.

·        All entrants are expected to purchase a minimum of one of the four NSPP anthologies uploaded on the submission portal.

·        Under no condition will the judges’ unanimous decisions be challenged.

·        Entering for the contest gives PIN automatic right to make use of entries as deemed appropriate.

·        Entries must be written in English. Native terminologies must be translated in English as footnotes.

·        Entrants should subscribe to poetsinnigeria.org.ng for regular updates.

For enquiries, contact the moderator – Phone: +2347034847164; Email: poetsinnigeria@gmail.com.

Submission Deadline: 31^st March, 2020