Poetry & Dream Narratives

Wale Ayinla

Cave Canem Prize Winner & MFA Candidate

University of Mississippi, Oxford

Wale Ayinla is a Nigerian poet and essayist, author of 'To Cast a Dream' (Jai-Alai Books, 2021) and winner of Cave Canem's 2020 Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize. Finalist for the 2023 Bernadine Evaristo Prize for African Poetry.

Guernica

B I O G R A P H Y

Wale Ayinla represents one of the most significant achievements in contemporary Nigerian poetry through his victory in Cave Canem's prestigious 2020 Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady Chapbook Prize.

As a finalist for the 2023 Bernadine Evaristo Prize for African Poetry, Wale has demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest levels of international literary recognition.

Currently pursuing his MFA at the University of Mississippi, Wale continues to develop his craft while maintaining an impressive publication record in Guernica, TriQuarterly, Poet Lore, and more.

A C H I E V E M E N T S