The Arole Agarawu Foundation has opened submissions for the inaugural Alhaji Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize, a new award for poets of African descent worldwide. The submission window runs until 31 May 2026.

The prize is named in memory of Alhaji Arole Agarawu (1930s–1995), a prolific West African songwriter and composer whose contributions to Yoruba musical forms, including Sakara, Apala, and Waka, went largely uncredited during his lifetime. The Foundation, established by poet Adedayo Agarau, describes the prize as a turning of that legacy of silence into a platform for recognition, ensuring that contemporary poets receive the formal acclaim their work deserves.

There are two prizes on offer. The Arole Agarawu African Poetry Prize awards $1,000 to a poet of African descent anywhere in the world, selected by the guest judge. The Arole Grayling Wraith Prize awards a separate $1,000 to a poet living on the African continent, and includes a production-grade video of a selected poem produced by media partner Grayling and Wraith. A single poet may be eligible for both. A shortlist of ten poets will be selected across both categories.

To be eligible, poets must be of African descent, 18 years or older, and must not have published more than two full-length collections. Submissions consist of ten original, unpublished poems written in English or accompanied by an English translation, formatted as a Word or PDF document of no more than 15 pages. Manuscripts must be anonymous. Only human-created work is accepted, AI-generated poems will be disqualified.

Submit at aroleagarawufoundation.com/submissions before 31 May 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Direct any inquiries to [email protected].