800 young people justle for ‘Arewa Poet of the Year’

By Yunus Abdulhamid

ABUJA- More than 800 young poets have entered for the MPS Media Poetry challenge, 2026 Arewa edition.

The entries came from the 19 northern states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, a statement by the convener of the MPS Media Poetry Challenge and founder/CEO of MPS Media, Professor Ahmed Adamu said.

He said this edition which is the second is riding on the success of the inaugural edition which held in Katsina in 2025, featuring more than 200 poetry performances, generating over 40 million digital views across 40 countries.

“Many contestants from the inaugural edition have gone on to become public speakers, mentors, content creators, ambassadors of peace, and role models within their communities,” Prof Adamu said. “Today, the competition has reached audiences in more than 40 countries, transforming unknown young talents into widely recognized personalities while inspiring thousands of young people to embrace creativity, confidence, leadership, and positive storytelling.”

For the first time, the 2026 edition will be televised, significantly expanding its reach and impact. The competition will be broadcast through leading television partners, including: Liberty TV, Farin Wata TV, Saira Movies TV and is being supported by several strategic partners, including: Wunti Al-Khair Foundation as co-Sponsor), Syda Tech Nigeria as official voting partner and Abu Arief Community Development Foundation (Official transport partner for Yobe State contestants).

The competition has now expanded into a regional format covering all nineteen Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory. The 2026 edition has been structured into three zonal competitions before converging in Abuja for the regional finals.

According to the time table released by the conveners, Bauchi State would host the North East zone from 8th – 15th August 2026; North-West Zonal will take place at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Hall, Kaduna, Kaduna State from 12th – 18th September 2026 while the North-Central Zonal Stages will take place in Nasarawa State in October 2026.

The Regional Quarterfinals, Semifinals & Grand Finale will hold in Abuja in November 2026. During each zonal rounds, contestants will compete through three stages: Blind Auditions, Battle Round, Knockout Stage and the successful contestants from the three zones will advance to Abuja for the Regional Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the Grand Finale, where the next Arewa Poet of the Year will be crowned.

The MPS Media Poetry Challenge has become one of Northern Nigeria’s foremost platforms for creative expression and youth empowerment. Beyond identifying talented poets, the initiative seeks to: promote peace, unity, and social cohesion, discover and nurture emerging literary talents. It is also helping to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of Arewa, encourage ethical leadership and responsible citizenship, amplify the voices of young people on issues affecting their communities, build confidence, communication skills, and creativity just as its supporting to create opportunities within the creative economy.