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13-yr old Nigerian Girl Wins $20,000 Poetry Prize

Sufuyan Ojeifo
12th Aug., 2004

ABUJA - Nigeria's image abroad gets another boost tomorrow in far away Philadelphia, USA in the domain of Literary Arts, as a 13-year-old Nigerian girl, Miss Chinasa Wereuzochi Chukwu, receives the International Society of Poets (ISP) award for the Poet of the Year for 2004. She is smiling home with $20,000 for the literary feat.

Chinasa, a pupil of St. Margaret's School, an all girl's school, in Bushey, Hertfordshire was nominated for the award in the genre of amateur poets, for her poem: "I'm Waiting Here." Below is the poem that has fetched her the single largest poetry cash prize ever awarded:

"Longing for you
Crying for you
Praying that you'll be in good hands
I fear the worst for you
I dare wish the best for you
For though you are not here
I hold you dear in my heart
Laugh, I long to hear
Smile, I long to see
Face, I long to touch
To hold you once again in my arms
I'm waiting here."

Chinasa said that the poem, "I'm Waiting Here," was written as an assignment she was given in school for her English lesson. According to her, "It is a poem about a young girl waiting for her lover. It was at the time the war between Iraq and America was still on and I was affected by it. I, therefore, saw this as an outlet for my feelings. I tried to put myself in the position of this young girl, waiting for her lover who had gone to war. When I saw the poetry contest, I decided it was a good opportunity for the world to see and, hopefully, understand how people, whose loved ones were actively involved in the war, felt."

A letter by the ISP, dated May 28, 2004 and addressed to her Stanmore home address in London, announced her nomination and invited her to read her poetry at the "single largest gathering of poets in history, where you will be formally inducted as an International Poet of Merit and Honoured Member of our Society for 2004-2005."

According to the letter, "Your induction will take place Friday, August 13, at America's Birthplace, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 2004 International Society of Poets Summer Convention and Symposium. You will be honoured with two separate and very special awards for your poetic achievement at special ceremonies throughout the weekend.

First, to honour and commemorate your poetic accomplishments, after you present your poetry in front of fellow poets from around the world, amidst the applause from the audience, you will be presented with your "Outstanding Achievement in Poetry" Silver Award Bowl.

"The award is a magnificent work of art in itself ($200 value), uniquely engraved and mounted on a beautiful cherry-wood base. This impressive Silver Award is so large and heavy, you may need extra suitcase just to carry it home!"

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm