The Nigerian NewsDirect said it has organised a poetry prize in honour of its late Publisher, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.

The move, the newspaper said, was due to Ibiyemi’s contribution to the Nigerian poetry community.

Its Managing Director, Matthew Ibiyemi, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday that the move was part of promoting poetry in Nigeria.

Zaynab Bobi and Emmanuel Mgbabor are the winners of the 2023 Folorunsho Editor’s Poetry Prize, while Prosper Ìféányí and Hassan Usman are named finalists.

Ibiyemi said that N100,000 prize award was awarded to two winners of the Folorunsho Editor’s Poetry Prize.

He said before the publisher’s death, he was an avid supporter of the Nigerian poetry community.

“He sponsored prizes such as Nigerian NewsDirect Poetry Prize 2020, Nigerian NewsDirect Chapbook Prize 2022, and the Poetry Column.

“He was passionate about being a solution provider in all he did. It is in that spirit that we instituted this prize,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Pamilerin Jacob, the Curator handling Poetry Column of Nigerian NewsDirect said that only poets who published in the poetry column in the year were eligible for the prize.

One of the winners, Zaynab Bobi, who appreciated the Nigerian NewsDirect for the monetary award, offered prayers to the late Dr. Ibiyemi Samuel.