The 2023 Isele Prizes: The Winners
After months of reading the brilliant stories, poems, and essays published here at Isele Magazine, we revealed the category longlists in February and the category shortlists in March. Now, we are so delighted to announce winners of the inaugural Isele Prizes.
Meet them:
Jennifer Dickinson Wins the Isele Short Story Prize for “Pink Flower”
It is a rare gift when we come across a story that is feels so fully realized, so engaging, so polished. The dialogue in “Pink Flower” is sharp and flows effortlessly, producing the perfect balance of tension and light, bringing the reader so deeply into the characters that we become the characters. Jennifer Dickinson establishes an authority and relatability within her writing that feels like she’s paying homage to all women from all walks of life. There is an enigmatic atmosphere within the story that is laden with subtext—painful and yet dripping with dry humor.
“Pink Flower” is a brilliant representation of the female gaze, picking at the scabs of vulnerability and cultural expectations—revealing the strength, wisdom, and healing that women can find as we grow older—when we free ourselves from social constructs and take off our armor and open our hearts to friendship with other women.
Read “Pink Flower.”
Ashia Ajani Wins the Isele Poetry Prize for “Two Poems”
In a world that commodifies and appropriates Blackness whilst concurrently seeking to eradicate Black people, Ashia Ajani’s intentional and unapologetic centering of Blackness in her poems is an act of defiance. This is evident in both “grief spinning” and “a black hair study in commensalism, i.e. grease and glory in the marshlands of my scalp” where Blackness plays a crucial role in the storytelling, lyricism, and imagery of the poems, from the seamless integration of Lucille Clifton’s work in “grief spinning” to the vivid exploration of Black hair care in “a black hair study in commensalism, i.e. grease and glory in the marshlands of my scalp”.
Ashia’s poems are marvelous pieces of writing, and Isele Magazine is grateful for the opportunity to share their work with the world.
Read Ajani’s “Two Poems.”
Chinonso Nzeh Wins the Isele Nonfiction Prize Winner for “The Slipping Away”
With “The Slipping Away”, Chinonso Nzeh has drawn a family portrait in which a son pre-mourns the potential passing of his much older parents. This story is tender and urgent and contemplative, and one of the most wrenching frames depicts our narrator observing his parents—their love for each other, their love for their children, their conversations about dying. Nzeh also zooms in on the self, questioning his own journey, who he is outside of this tight-knit family, and the most shattering of all questions: how to survive the ultimate passing of his parents. Strictly speaking, Nzeh’s essay is a daunting question on pre-grieving. Here’s a son so devoted to the parents that he is already asking hard questions, interrogating his own inadequacies, his fears, all the while preparing himself for the inevitable.
This memoir is about being parented and loved and sheltered. It is also about wading through life without one’s anchors. Nzeh highlights deeply vulnerable scenes, puts these moments under scrutiny, and reflects on them, ultimately creating a powerful tapestry that offers readers a new way of writing parent-child relationships.
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Read “The Slipping Away.”
Congratulations to the winners!
Announcing the Category Shortlists
We are delighted to reveal the shortlists for the 2023 edition of The Isele Prizes.
The short stories, poems, and essays that appear on these lists explore themes that challenge conventional expectations. These writers hold a mirror to society, opening hearts and minds with the transformative power of language. Publishing them was an honor.
Here are the shortlists according to their categories and in no particular order:
Fiction:
- “The Returnee” by Michelle Enehiwealu Iruobe
- “The Tenderness of Iron” by Ishola Abdulwasiu Ayodele
- “Pink Flower” by Jennifer Dickinson
- “Weaving” by Yvonne Kusiima
- “Potluck Jollof” by Nnamdi Anyadu
Click here to learn more about the writers.
Poetry:
- “Two Poems” by Ashia Ajani
- “In The Parking Lot” by Alec Solomita
- “Three Poems” by Ber Anena
- “At Night I Sing My Heads to Sleep” by Matt Hart
- “Four Poems” by Echezonachukwu Nduka
Click here to learn more about the writers.
Nonfiction:
- “The Slipping Away” by Chinonso Nzeh
- “My Street Food Lady” by Zary Fekete
- “Fall/Between Words” by Kharys Laue
- “Lagos City Girls Never Pay For Pasta” by Adaorah Oduah
- “Short Essay on Music” by Adedayo Agarau
Click here to learn more about the writers.
About The Isele Prizes
This literary project celebrates the best of short stories, poetry, and essays by writers published in Isele Magazine.
The prizes are split into three categories – short stories, poetry, and essays, and each category is judged by a panel of two judges. The longlists of ten stories, ten suites of poems or single poems, and eight essays will be announced in February, while the shortlists of five works per category will be revealed at the end of March. The winners will receive $200 each, presented to them at a ceremony at the end of April.
Only works published in Isele Magazine will be considered for the prizes, and the longlisted works will appear in the annual print project – The Best of Isele Anthology.
At Isele Magazine, we believe that literature and the arts are an integral part of the daily conversations that uplift and shape our thinking. We publish writers and artists who hold a mirror to our society and challenge conventional expectations about ways of being, how to be, and who decides who should be.
Follow this link to read more about how to submit your work for consideration, and click here to read more about our editors.
Important Dates
- Longlists Announced: February 21, 2023
- Shortlists Announced: March 21, 2023
- Winners Announced: April 26, 2023
The Isele Prizes 2023: Category Longlists Announced
We are delighted to announce the longlists for the 2023 edition of The Isele Prizes.
The short stories, poems, and essays we publish at Isele Magazine are brilliant and defiant, and this made narrowing down the longlists quite challenging. We considered over 160 works in these categories, and our in-house judges agreed that the works on these lists capture our mission: to provide a platform for works that hold a mirror to our society. These writers continually remind us of the transformative power of stories and the beauty of language. Publishing them was an honor.
On that note, here are the longlists according to their categories and in no particular order:
The Isele Short Story Prize
“Master Zambezi” by Ola W. Halim
“Pink Flower” by Jennifer Dickinson
“Millie Lorraine” by Josephine Sarvaas
“The Returnee” by Michelle Enehiwealu Iruobe
“Weaving” by Yvonne Kusiima
“Heart Weeds” by Shaun Anthony McMichael
“Potluck Jollof” by Nnamdi Anyadu
“When James Baldwin Came To Atlanta” by Charles Stephens
“The Tenderness of Iron” by Ishola Abdulwasiu Ayodele
“The Baby Doesn’t Have A Name” by Ahmad Adedimeji Amobi
The Isele Poetry Prize
“In The Parking Lot” by Alec Solomita
“Four Poems” by Echezonachukwu Nduka
“Three Poems” by Ber Anena
“Reborn” by Gary Beck
“Two Poems” by Salawu Olajide
“Self-Portrait of Grief as Fire” Zaynab Bobi
“Two Poems” by EJ Schoenborn
“Two Poems” by Ashia Ajani
“Pride” by Hayden Dansky
“At Night I Sing My Heads to Sleep” by Matt Hart
The Isele Nonfiction Prize
“Fall/Between Words” by Kharys Laue
“The Green Passport” by Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto
“My Street Food Lady” by Zary Fekete
“Lagos City Girls Never Pay For Pasta” by Adaorah Oduah
“Russian Doll” by Mustapha Enesi
“The Slipping Away” by Chinonso Nzeh
“Words: On the Linguistic Indoctrination of a Woman” by Cindy DiTiberio
“Short Essay on Music” by Adedayo Agarau
‘The Wonder of Childhood” by Chimezie Chika
“Young, Bald, and Woman” by Nike Onwu
The Inaugural Isele Prizes: The Winners
After many months of reading the brilliant stories, poems, and essays published here at Isele Magazine, we revealed the category longlists in February and the category shortlists in March. Now, we are so delighted to announce winners of the inaugural Isele Prizes.
Meet them:
Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo Wins the Isele Short Story Prize for “The Year of the Sun”
Okonkwo’s exceptional short story explores the difficult conversations we have about how we love, our culture and traditions, and the relationship we have with our history. Her language pulses and her structure is controlled. This is a masterfully crafted story, which immerses you in the setting as she builds this world with mathematical precision, such that a reader, even if they aren’t familiar with the period and the culture, sees themselves in her characters. This story stays with you.
Read “The Year of the Sun.”
Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike Wins the Isele Poetry Prize for “there’s more”
Umezurike’s poem travels around the world, gathering stories about people who search for new beginnings despite the dangers that lurk in the deserts and in the seas, dangers that nip dreams at the bud, but which our seekers must brave for their sanity, for a moment away from the despair they leave behind. Umezurike’s poem is timeless, and we are so lucky he trusted us with his work.
Read “there’s more.“
Nora Nneka Wins the Isele Nonfiction Prize Winner for “Sense of Touch”
Nneka’s deeply moving essay explores the relationship between a daughter and her mother, family trauma, grief, and how these experiences shape a woman’s narrative arc—her relationship with her body, her journey through pregnancy, and the joy that comes with embracing these stories that come together to define who we are and our relationship with our community. Her language is spellbinding.
Read “Sense of Touch.”
Announcing the Category Shortlists
We are delighted to reveal the shortlists for the inaugural edition of The Isele Prizes.
Our judges have carefully read the longlisted works, considering them against predetermined criteria relating to our vision for this initiative. The following short stories, poems, and essays are brilliant, defiant, and poignantly explore themes that challenge conventional expectations. These writers hold a mirror to society, opening hearts and minds with the transformative power and beauty of their words. Publishing them has been an honor.
Here are the shortlists according to their categories and in no particular order:
The Isele Short Story Prize
“The Year of the Sun” by Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo
“Right” by Rilla Askew
“Sunset Dreams” by Troy Onyango
“Souvenir” by Roseline Mgbodichinma
“The Children of No 39 Faulks Street” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo
“The Only One I Have Not Lost” by Dennis Mugaa
Click here to learn more about the writers.
The Isele Poetry Prize
“Two Poems” by Romeo Oriogun
“Four Poems” by Joanna George
“there’s more” and “Two Poems” by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike
“Three Poems” by Kelli Russell Agodon
“Three Poems” by Chisom Okafor
Click here to learn more about the writers.
The Isele Nonfiction Prize
“Serengeti Saga” by Sylvia K. Ilahuka
“Sense of Touch” by Nora Nneka
“Feeling Your Way Home” by Uche Osondu
“Adjuncts in the Age of the Coronavirus” by Frances Cannon
“The Feminine and the Oracular” by Itiola Jones
Click here to learn more about the writers.
Announcing the Category Longlists
We are delighted to announce the longlists for the inaugural edition of The Isele Prizes.
Narrowing down the short stories, poems, and essays for the longlists was challenging because the works that we publish at Isele Magazine are brilliant, defiant, and poignantly explore themes that challenge conventional expectations. Publishing them was such a joy. These exceptional writers remind us of the transformative power of stories and the beauty of language.
The works that appear in these longlists encapsulate our mission: to provide a platform for writers who hold a mirror to our society.
On that note, here are the longlists according to their categories and in no particular order:
The Isele Short Story Prize
“The Year of the Sun” by Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo
“Today She Will” by Saratu Abiola
“Right” by Rilla Askew
“Sunset Dreams” by Troy Onyango
“Witch Hazel” by Gabriela Denise Frank
“Souvenir” by Roseline Mgbodichinma
“The Newlyweds Window” by Husnah Mad-hy
“The Children of No 39 Faulks Street” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo
“The Only One I Have Not Lost” by Dennis Mugaa
“Deliverance” by Jadesola Ajao
The Isele Poetry Prize
“Two Poems” by Romeo Oriogun
“Five Poems” by Adeyele Adeniran
“Four Poems” by Joanna George
“Balls of Mess” by Muyera Sokoo
“The One Good Eyes of the Room” by Susan Rich
“there’s more” and “Two Poems” by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike
“Six Poems” by Sarah Rebecca Kersley
“Six Poems” by Francine Simon
“Three Poems” by Kelli Russell Agodon
“Three Poems” by Chisom Okafor
The Isele Nonfiction Prize
“Serengeti Saga” by Sylvia K. Ilahuka
“Sense of Touch” by Nora Nneka
“Feeling Your Way Home” by Uche Osondu
“A Personal History of Cantaloupes” by Dot Armstrong
“Women Who Bleed Colors” by Ope Adedeji
“Adjuncts in the Age of the Coronavirus” by Frances Cannon
“The Feminine and the Oracular” by Itiola Jones
“This is Not My Hand on Your Back” by Tyler Orion
“Cracks in Glass Identities” by Seyi Agboola
“An Odd Sort of Thursday” by Ria Dhingra
Check below for the all the latest news and updates about the prizes.
About The Isele Prizes
This literary project celebrates the best of short stories, poetry, and essays by writers published in Isele Magazine.
The prizes are split into three categories – short stories, poetry, and essays, and each category is judged by a panel of two judges. The longlists of ten stories, ten suites of poems or single poems, and eight essays will be announced in February, while the shortlists of five works per category will be revealed at the end of March. The winners will receive $200 each, presented to them at a ceremony at the end of April.
Only works published in Isele Magazine will be considered for the prizes, and the longlisted works will appear in the annual print project – The Best of Isele Anthology.
At Isele Magazine, we believe that literature and the arts are an integral part of the daily conversations that uplift and shape our thinking. We publish writers and artists who hold a mirror to our society and challenge conventional expectations about ways of being, how to be, and who decides who should be.
Follow this link to read more about how to submit your work for consideration, and click here to read more about our editors.
Eligibility Criteria
The inaugural prizes will consider works published in Isele Magazine from inception (July 2020) to January 2022. Next year, judges will consider works published after January 31, 2022.
The Categories
The Isele Short Story Prize
The prize is for a short story (including flash fiction) published in Isele Magazine in the past year.
The judges will publish the longlist of ten stories in February, and a shortlist of five stories in March. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the end of April.
The Isele Poetry Prize
The prize is for a suite of poems or single poems published in Isele Magazine in the past year.
The judges will publish the longlist of ten suites of poems or single poems in February, and a shortlist of five in March. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the end of April.
The Isele Nonfiction Prize
The prize is for an essay published in Isele Magazine in the past year.
The judges will publish the longlist of ten essays in February, and a shortlist of five essays in March. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at the end of April.
Updates
We will occasionally update this page with the most recent news about the Isele Prizes, including the longlists, the shortlists, the winners, the interviews with our writers, and details about the awards ceremony.
The Isele Prizes Podcast
Watch out for our weekly conversations with our shortlisted writers about their writing processes, their inspirations, and the books they want us to read.
For now, you can listen to our book chat with the South African feminist scholar, Prof. Barbara Boswell.
Follow Us
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