Brunel International African Poetry Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (2018) Winner
Theresa Lola
テレサ・ローラ
Theresa Lola
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1994-05-06 （Lagos, Nigeria）
- Nationality
- British, Nigerian
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Lagos (born) → London (since 2007)
Career
- Occupations
- poet, writer
- Active Years
- 2016-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hertfordshire | Accounting and Finance | Accounting | BA (First-class) | 2012-2015 | United Kingdom |
| Kellogg College, University of Oxford | Creative Writing (MA) | Creative Writing | MA | 2017-2019 | United Kingdom |
University of Hertfordshire
Accounting and Finance
/ Accounting
Degree:
BA (First-class)
Period:
2012-2015
Year of Graduation:
2015
Country:
United Kingdom
Undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance (First-class honours).
Kellogg College, University of Oxford
Creative Writing (MA)
/ Creative Writing
Degree:
MA
Period:
2017-2019
Year of Graduation:
2019
Country:
United Kingdom
Master's in Creative Writing (year estimated from available sources).
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Brunel International African Poetry Prize | — | — | The Poetry Society / Brunel Prize administrators | joint winner |
| 2025 | Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry | Ceremony for the Nameless | — | Arrowsmith Press (source for award announcement) | winner |
Brunel International African Poetry Prize
2018
Organization:
The Poetry Society / Brunel Prize administrators
Result:
joint winner
Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry
2025
Work:
Ceremony for the Nameless
Organization:
Arrowsmith Press (source for award announcement)
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Ceremony for the Nameless
2024 poetry collectionA poetry collection exploring the relationship between names, naming and identity. The poems examine memory and the power of words to interrogate existence and how we are named.
names and identitymemorymigration and diaspora
In Search of Equilibrium
2019 poetry collectionDebut full-length collection featuring vivid images and fragments about being alive, wounded and recovering. The work reflects her background in performance poetry.
being alive and woundedrecoverypersonal and social equilibrium
Bibliography
- Ceremony for the Nameless (2024)
- In Search of Equilibrium (2019)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- vivid imageryoral/performative qualities influenced by spoken-wordexperimental yet lyrical
- Recurring Motifs
- names and namingmemory and the pastbody and wounds
Legacy
She has served as Young People's Laureate for London and gained attention through international prizes. Her poetry, which often addresses migration and identity, has been widely praised.
Quotes
-
"Ceremony for the Nameless is relentlessly inventive and often stunning."
Source: Ishmael Reed (blurb/praise) (2024) -
"What a joy to see a new sun rising in the poetic sky!"
Source: Nikki Giovanni (blurb/praise) (2024)
Trivia
- Born in Lagos in 1994; moved to London in 2007.
- Named Young People's Laureate for London in 2019.
- Joint winner of the Brunel International African Poetry Prize in 2018.
- Winner of the Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry in 2025 (Ceremony for the Nameless).