Chinaza Joy Ugota, a medical student of Ebonyi State, has earned an Honourable Mention at the 2026 Sejong International Sijo Competition. Organized by the Chicago-based Sejong Cultural Society in the United States, the prestigious annual tournament invites writers across the globe to craft original poems using Sijo—a traditional, three-line Korean poetic structure.
Chinaza Joy Ugota
Global Honour Awardee 2026 Sijo Competition
Ugota’s award-winning three-line entry, titled "A Trophy," stood out among a record-breaking pool of 917 submissions spanning 80 countries across six continents. The 2026 edition saw a massive 49 percent surge in global participation compared to the previous year, with submissions evaluated completely anonymously by a distinguished four-judge panel before narrowing down to 48 finalists from 20 nations.
The motivation behind "A Trophy" stems directly from Ugota’s personal heritage and her mother’s resilience. Reflecting on her poem's inspiration, Ugota explained that the piece is not about a physical silver cup sitting on a shelf, but about the miracle of human life. She shared:
"A Trophy draws inspiration from my birth and my mother's story. It tells the story of the circumstances surrounding my arrival into this world, the pain, the prayers, the waiting, and the fight that came before I was born. To many people, I may look like an ordinary girl. But to my mother, I am a trophy. I am the proof that she survived. I am the reward after a long battle. I am the victory she carried home in her arms."
The young poet acknowledged key mentors and institutions that nurtured her creative journey. She expressed profound gratitude to God, her mother as her ultimate inspiration, her literary instructor Dr. Nwefuru God'stime Chiadikaobi, and the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Literary and Debating Club for introducing her to the ancient Korean art of Sijo poetry.
Beyond her personal triumph, Executive Director of the Sejong Cultural Society, Lucy Park, commended the rising engagement from young international voices. The 2026 contest drew entrants ranging from ages 8 to 93, with 67 percent of participants in their teens or twenties. Ugota’s recognition places Nigeria alongside international recipients from Ghana and the United States, underscoring the growing power of Nigerian storytellers on the global stage
0 Comments