O-Jeremiah Agbaakin

Poet

Athens, GA
Georgia US
Email: 
ojeremiahagbaakin@gmail.com
Website: 
www.ojeremiahagbaakin.com
Twitter/X: 
@oj_agbaakin

Author's Bio

O-Jeremiah Agbaakin born and raised in Nigeria is the author of The Sign of the Ram (Akashic Books, 2023), selected by Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani for the New Generation African Poets Chapbook series. His poems and reviews are published or forthcoming in Poetry Review (UK), Kenyon Review, POETRY Magazine, Poetry Daily, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. He’s received fellowship & support from Georgia Writers Association, Good Hart Artist Residency, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Bread Loaf, Tin House; and a Graduate Research Award from the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, University of Georgia where he is currently a PhD student of Creative Writing and Literature.

 

Education: 
University of Mississippi, Oxford MFA
Writers Retreats: 
Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference
Good Hart Artist Residency
MASS MoCA Writing Through Art Poetry Retreat
Tin House Summer Workshop

Publications & Prizes

Chapbook:
The Sign of the Ram (Akashic Books, 2022)
Journals:
Cincinnati Review
,
Kenyon Review
,
Poetry Magazine
Prizes won: 

 

  • Office of Instruction & Center for Teaching and Learning, Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, University of Georgia (2026)
  • Georgia Writers’ Association, John Lewis Grant (2025)
  • English Graduate Students Awards, Michael G. Moran Award, University of Georgia (2025)
  • Fine Arts Work Center, Georgia Writers Workshop Scholarship (2025)
  • Good Hart Artist Residency, Award & Support (2025)
  • Graduate School Awards, Alfred E. Brown Scholarship, University of Georgia (2024)
  • English Graduate Students Awards, Brown and Everett Award, University of Georgia (2024)
  • Willson Center for Humanities & Art, Graduate Research Award, University of Georgia (2024)
  • Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts, Residency Fellowship, (2024)
  • Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference, Scholarship, (January 2024)
  • Key West Literary Seminar, Workshop Fellowship, led by Kimiko Hahn (2023)
  • “Jericho hymnal” Nominated by Kenyon Review, Best New Poet (2022)
  • “The Sign of the Ram", Semi-Finalist, Chad Walsh Chapbook Series, Beloit Poetry Journal (2022)
  • Tin House, Workshop Scholarship, led by Patricia Smith (2021)
  • “The Poet’s Liturgy", Finalist, Chad Walsh Chapbook Series, Beloit Poetry Journal (2021)
  • “Landscape with the broken ekphrasis”, Finalist, Black Warrior Review Contest (2021)
  • “Anesthesia for the Eve in my bloodline”, Nominee, Pushcart Prize, West Branch (2020)
  • “Landscape with the necromancer & others”, 1st Runner-Up, ProForma Poetry Contest, Grist Journal (2020)
  • McMullan Fellowship, Recipient, Graduate School, University of Mississippi, (2020)
  • “The root of the word babble is Babel”, Finalist, Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poets (2020)

Personal Favorites

What I'm reading now: 
Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Black
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Ikire, OS
Nigeria
Osun
Raised in: 
Ikire, OS
Nigeria
Osun
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Mar 25, 2026