Olúwabùkọ́lá Àtàndá Habeebullahi has emerged as the winner of the 2025 edition of the prestigious Àtẹ́lẹwọ́ Prize for Yorùbá Literature, claiming the N1 million cash prize with his compelling poetry manuscript titled “Oríloníṣe.”
This announcement was made by writer and cultural advocate Rasaq Malik Gbolahan, who expressed joy over the continued success and growth of the prize, now in its fifth year.
“I am glad to announce that Olúwabùkọ́lá Àtàndá Habeebullahi won the 2025 Àtẹ́lẹwọ́ Prize for Yorùbá Literature (1 Million Naira Cash Prize) with his poetry manuscript titled ‘Oríloníṣe’,” Gbolahan stated.
Reflecting on the journey of the literary award, Gbolahan recalled the challenges faced at its inception, particularly the lack of dedicated platforms for Yoruba-language writers.
“When we started this Prize five years ago, we discovered that it was difficult to find a literary prize for Yorùbá writers. We did our research and we didn’t find any for these writers whose works are paramount to the understanding of our language and culture,” he said.
He emphasized the critical role literature plays in preserving indigenous languages and called for greater support and awareness of mother-tongue literature.
“Today, we are grateful for everything. We awarded our fifth prize winner yesterday. While we continue to believe in the power of Yoruba language in the existence of our literature, we are also reaching out to all of us to make sure that our languages are preserved through our literature.”
Drawing inspiration from renowned African writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Gbolahan added: “We can talk about Ngugi today not only as a writer in the colonial language but also as a strong advocate for the writing of our literature in our languages.”
