Nigerian poet Adedayo Agarau has been recognised on an international stage. His 2026 poetry collection, The Years of Blood, was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 25 Best New Poetry Books of 2026, a list that highlights the most compelling and significant poetry published each year.
Born in Ibadan in 1994, Agarau has rapidly become one of Nigeria’s most important contemporary poets. His writing engages with themes of memory, violence, spirituality, and cultural inheritance. He serves as Editor‑in‑Chief of Agbowó Magazine, an African literary journal, and contributes as Poetry Reviews Editor for The Rumpus. His poems have appeared in respected international publications, and he has been recognised with notable awards and fellowships, including the C.P. Cavafy Poetry Prize and a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford University.
The Years of Blood itself has also earned recognition beyond the NYPL list. It received the Poetic Justice Institute Editor’s Prize for BIPOC Writers and was listed among the most anticipated poetry collections of recent years in key literary circles. It has also won the 2026 Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize at the Nossrat Yassini Poetry Festival, selected by the renowned poet Cornelius Eady.
The collection has been described by the NYPL as “a collected poetry of witness,” giving readers a powerful glimpse into lives marked by loss, memory, and societal violence. Rooted in Agarau’s experiences in Ibadan, the poems blend lyrical reflection with reportage, crafting a narrative that is both intimate and unflinching.
The New York Public Library (NYPL), founded in 1895, is one of the largest and most influential library systems in the world, serving millions of visitors each year across New York City. Beyond lending books, it is a hub for research, cultural programs, and literary recognition. The library maintains curated lists, including the annual Best New Poetry Books, which highlight the most significant and compelling collections of the year. Being selected by NYPL signals that a work has exceptional literary quality and global relevance.
Its annual list is curated by librarians and literary experts who review hundreds of new poetry titles, selecting only those that demonstrate exceptional craft, originality, and impact. Agarau’s inclusion places him among a global cohort of contemporary poets signaling the increasing recognition of African literary voices on the world stage.