The Babishai Haiku Award was established in 2016 as part of the Babishai Poetry Festival based in Kampala, Uganda. Babishai was the first English-language haiku contest in Africa for African poets. Competitions have been held in 2016, 2017, and 2020.
Submission Guidelines
The following submission guidelines for the Babishai are derived from the announcement for the 2020 contest in the Babishai Niwe website.
The Babishai Haiku Award competition is open to Africans aged 18 and above whose country of residence is in Africa.
In 2020, submissions were received from January 1 from 12:01 am, to March 15 11:59 pm (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania time). Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania time is GMT + 3 hours.
A minimum of three and maximum of five haiku should be submitted to bnpa2020@babishainiwe.com and a copy sent to babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com.
Submissions shroud be sent as an attachment to an email in English. The attachment should be a single Microsoft Word document, single-spaced, and using the 11-point Calibri font. The attachment should contain only the haiku.
The 1st Prize-winner receives US$300. The 2nd and 3rd Prize-winners receive US$200 each.
The body of the email should include the poet’s name, country of origin, country of residence, and email address.
Each haiku must be original (never previously published either online or in print).
Plagiarism and late submission are grounds for disqualification of entries.
Winners are announced during the annual Babishai Niwe Poetry Festival, which typically takes place in Kampala, Uganda, in June.
The judges’ decisions are final.
The latest guidelines for the Babishai Haiku Award may be viewed here.
Babishai Haiku Award 2020
| Judge | Kariuki wa Nyamu, Kenya |
| Number of entries | Not stated |
| Babishai Haiku Prize 2020 | |
| Shortlisted poets (10) | Ali Znaidi, Tunisia |
| Andrew Herbert Omuna, Uganda | |
| Praise Osawaru, Nigeria | |
| Devis the Poet, Uganda | |
| Ahmad Holderness, Nigeria/United Kingdom | |
| Akello Charlotte, Uganda | |
| Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana | |
| Rose Wangari Kinyanjui, Kenya | |
| Adipo Sidang’, Kenya | |
| Osho Tunde Matthew, Nigeria |
Babishai Haiku Award 2017
| Judges | Adjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana; Emmanuel Kalusian, Nigeria; and Mercy Ikuri, Kenya |
| Number of entries | Not stated |
| Announcement of winners | August 6, 2017, at the Babishai Niwe Poetry Festival dinner, Kampala, Uganda |
| 1st Prize | Kariuki wa Nyamu, Kenya |
| 2nd Prize | Anthony Itopa Obaro, Nigeria |
| 3rd Prize | Pamela Angela Kuadegbeku, Ghana |
| Other shortlisted poets (15) | Charlotte Akello, Uganda |
| Usman Karofi, Nigeria | |
| Ahmad Holderness, Nigeria | |
| Fred Kweku Forson, Ghana | |
| Acen Miriam Carolyne, Uganda | |
| Kwao Jonathan Tetteh, Ghana | |
| Nnedi Ezenwa Ohaeto, Nigeria | |
| Alawonde Theophilus Femi, Nigeria | |
| Justice Joseph Prah, Ghana | |
| Osemwengie Zion, Nigeria | |
| Abubasam Fahad Mutumba, Uganda | |
| Akor Emmanuel Oche, Nigeria | |
| Pamela Angela Kuadegbeku, Ghana | |
| Obaji Nwali Shegun, Nigeria | |
| Dan’bala Umar, Ghana |
Babishai Haiku Award 2016
| Chief Judge | Adjei Agyei-Baah, Ghana |
| Number of entries | Not stated |
| Announcement of winners | August 26, 2016, during the Babishai 2016 Poetry Festival, Kampala, Uganda |
| Grand Prize (3-way tie) | Blessmond Alebna Ayinbire, Ghana |
| Chibuihe-Light Obi, Nigeria | |
| Kwaku Feni Adow, Ghana | |
| Other shortlisted poets (3) | Ayesha Kajee, South Africa |
| Kwaku Feni Adow, Ghana | |
| Chibuihe-Light Obi, Nigeria |