2025 Ladi Kwali Poetry Prize

Ladi Kwali (1925–1984), a pioneering Nigerian potter, was an accomplished and widely celebrated artist, known for her mastery of traditional pottery techniques passed down through matrilineal lines. In her practice, she employed a traditional freehand modelling technique to create pots, decorating them with poetically incised lines rendered in bands that left ample space in between for her rendition of schematised figures. Her work acquired a new form of modernity, making Ladi Kwali a pioneer of African modernist ceramic art.

“What is astonishing about Ladi Kwali is that she was able to maintain her individual style by remaining faithful to her unique fable-like, storytelling narratives with symbols drawn from the natural world that were the hallmark of her decoration.” – Magdalene Odundo.

It is in this light that the Northern Writers Forum Journal is calling for entries to the inaugural Ladi Kwali Poetry Prize, a prize established to honour artistic excellence and spotlight the remarkable voices shaping contemporary African poetry. This edition of the prize is supported in partnership with Bakandamiya.

Three outstanding poems will be selected for recognition:

Winner – ₦100,000
First Runner-up – ₦30,000
Second Runner-up – ₦20,000

All three selected poems will be published in the Northern Writers Forum Journal (NWFJournal).

While we have no specific preference or restrictions on form, style, or theme, we would love to read poems with a strong sense of African heritage. Send us your most polished poems. We welcome poems of both traditional and contemporary styles. Submissions will be read and judged by the editorial team at Northern Writers Forum Journal (NWFJournal). Please, carefully read our submission guidelines below.