Friday Poetry: Abu Bakr Wins 2023 Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets
By Saheed Sunday
The African Poetry Book Fund’s Editorial Board: Chris Abani, Gabeba Baderoon, Bernadine Evaristo, Aracelis Girmay, John Keene, Matthew Shenoda, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, and Kwame Dawes, director of the African Poetry Book Fund and Prairie Schooner’s editor-in-chief named Abu Bakr Sadiq winner of the 2023 Sillerman Book Prize for African Poets. This same prize was clinched by Tares Oburunmu, in 2022 with his manuscript “origins of the syma species”.
Abu Bakr Sadiq is a Nigerian poet born and raised in Minna. He is currently an undergraduate student at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Sadiq is the winner of the 2022 IGNYTE award for Best Speculative Poetry and a finalist for the 2023 Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. His work has been nominated for the SFPA Rhysling Award and for a Pushcart Prize and has been published in Boston Review, The Fiddlehead, MIZNA, FIYAH, Palette Poetry, Uncanny Magazine, Augur Magazine, Fantasy Magazine and elsewhere.
The Sillerman Book Prize for African Poets was founded in 2013. Over the years, the prize, in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press, has applauded the art of African poets from across the continent and diaspora. Every year, the winner of the prize is awarded with a cash prize of a thousand dollars along with a publication of the winning manuscript.
Following this year’s winner — Abu Bakr Sadiq — who is going to be awarded the cash prize of $1000, the judges are pleased to announce the finalists of the prize and their manuscripts:
“Trespass” by Jamila Osman (Somalia)
“Year of Blood” by Adedayo Agarau (Nigeria)
“Our Weary Talons” by Gracia Mwamba (Congo)
We at wish Sadiq and the other finalists hearty congratulations!
Saheed Sunday, NGP V, is a Nigerian poet, a Star Prize awardee, a Best of the Net nominee, and a HCAF member. He is the author of a poetry collection: Rewrite The Stars. He won the ZODML Poetry Prize; he was shortlisted for the Rachel Wetzsteon Chapbook Award, Wingless Dreamer Poetry Prize and The Breakbread Literacy Project.
