INTERNATIONAL POETRY CONTEST

The great state of Akwa Ibom in Nigeria will turn 25 on the 23rd of September 2012

It calls for celebration and reflection over the last twenty-five years at the same time.

The contest is organized by Happy Bookers. It is for 25 word poems in the English Language.

The theme is unrestricted but is in honour of Akwa Ibom state. We are looking for poems in 25 words that celebrate or pay tribute the state. Deadline for submission is August 13, 2012.



GUIDELINES and ELIGIBILITY:

Entry is free

Poems must be in twenty-five words and submitted in the body of the mail.

Contestants must include:

Title

Name and Surname

Email address

Address

Phone number


Entries must be submitted online via e-mail to poetry25@happybookers.com.ng. with the subject line poetry contest

Poems must be previously unpublished and must be the exclusive work of the entrant.

Poems must be written by one person. Co-authored poems will not be accepted.

A short autobiography of no more than 30 words must be included.

Entries that fail to meet any of the above criteria will not be considered.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received by noon, August 15, 2012.

The short list will be announced on September 3, 2012

Winners will be notified via e-mail by Sept. 10, 2012.

AWARDS:

1st Prize: $100

2nd Prize: $75

All prize winners will be announced on the Happy Bookers website. (www.happybookers.com.ng)
Poems will be published on the site and in a journal Akwa Ibom @ 25

Prizes are payable through PayPal or direct bank transfer.



The Contest will be judged by Iquo DianaAbasi Eke

Iquo DianaAbasi Eke is a Writer, Actress and Performance poet who renders her words to the accompaniment of folklore, typically embellished with instruments such as traditional drums, flute and /or strings. Her career as a performance poet has span eight years and she’s featured: The Lagos Black Heritage Festival – 2010, PLAY Poetry Festival - 2009-2010, Word slam - 2009- 2011, The Lagos Poetry Festival - 2006- 2007, Poetry Potter - 2007 -2010 and Word and Sound in 2005.



Iquo's Prose and poetry is rich in imagery and explores depths of experiences encompassing the realities of social consciousness, Pain, Passion, Womanhood and indeed the trials of the griots of this age. She believes strongly in a continuous struggle for the betterment of her generation and nation.

Her writings have been published in Anthologies and newspapers over the years in Nigeria. She resides in Lagos where she is currently working on her first collection of poetry, as well as a collection of short fiction.

In her spare time, Iquo crochets shoes and bags and manages to find time for her blog iquoeke..com