Profile of winners of African Human Rights essay competition

UGOCHUKWU ANADI: NELSON MANDELA PRIZE-$100

Ugochukwu Anadị, a student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is a 20 year old who discovered his love for writing during the COVID-19 lockdown. He has gone ahead to write short stories, poems and essays and has been published in Nantygreens Magazine. He also came fourth place in the Hon. Dozie Nwankwo Essay Writing Competition, 2020.

He has interests in stories that depict life and is a great lover of literary fiction. Through his writings, he tries to address homophobia and document students’ life. But he believes in reading Literature firstly as Literature, before any other thing.

CHARLES IORNUMBE: THOMAS SANKARA PRIZE-$75

Charles Iornumbe is a broadcast journalist, researcher, creative writer, cultural enthusiast and academic.

He has worked with Radio Benue Corporation, Makurdi, for over a decade and risen through the ranks. He also had a stint with Radio Nigeria Globe FM, Bauchi, Bauchi State.

He has served as the chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Benue state chapter, between 2026 – 2019. Due to his outstanding contribution to the growth of literary creativity in Benue, the National Executive Council of ANA voted him as the National Ex-Officio One.

Some of his essays, commentaries, literary works, and academic articles had been published in well-established journals, local and National Dailies as well as Anthologies.

Iornumbe holds a doctorate degree in Linguistics with special interest in stylistics, communication and semiotics.

OF GRACE AND FORTUNE is one of Iornumbe’s yet – to – be released books.

He hails from Mbaakpur, Shangev-Tiev in Konshisha local government area of Benue state, Nigeria.

OSHO TUNDE: OMOYELE SOWORE PRIZE-$50

Osho Tunde is an undergraduate of Accounting in Yaba college of Technology, Yaba, Lagos. He is a Nigerian writer who bears witness for the events within his body. He recently won a 1st runner up prize, Eriata Orhibabor Poetry prize, 2020. His haiku was on Babishai Niwe haiku 2020 longlist. His works have featured in various magazines and anthologies such as Praxis, Conscio, erogospel, The Quills, ‘The veil beyond wall’ by Poets in Nigeria (PIN) initiative and elsewhere. He loves to write, sing, and study.

African Human Rights Essay Competition is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA aimed at promoting human rights values in Africa and to positively influence the betterment of the human rights situation in the continent.

The International Human Rights Arts Festival began in 2010 under the auspices of Amnesty International. It has now grown to an annual week-long event, offering hundreds of visual and performing artists the stage to showcase their work, share their stories and inspire social influencers, policy makers, cultural leaders and the general public to support their causes.

International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) gives voice to the voiceless; protects freedom of expression and uses creativity to highlight human rights and social justice causes around the world.

The organization brings together all members of society through her programmes, from artists-in-exile and at risk; to activists on the front lines of the struggle for rights and justice in their own country; to artists working in all media, to national and international politicians, government agencies, social leaders and celebrities.

IHRAF believes that creative engagement with all members of the society is the surest path toward social justice and positive change.