MASTHEAD
Words-Empire Magazine is brought to life by a collective of editors and creatives championing diverse voices and compelling work.
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| Daniel Aôndona | Editor-in-Chief |
Daniel Aôndona is a Nigerian writer, English student, and arts enthusiast from Benue, Middle Belt. He is a member of Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation Abuja and an alumnus of SprinngNG Writers Fellowship (2024). His work has appeared or is forthcoming in The B’k, LOLWE, Paper Lanterns, Poetry ColumnNND, and Chestnut Review, among others. He serves as Reader at VoALit, Feature Editor at Pawners Paper, and Editor-in-Chief of Words-Empire Magazine and Bluebird’s Scribe Review. He has earned recognitions, including the SOD Poetry Prize, HCAF Excellence in Creative Writing, Sande Poetry Prize, and more. He is a 2026 Best Micro-Fiction Award nominee and an Akachi Chukwuemeka Prize for Literature shortlist. His interests include comic literature, dark humor, gothic visual art, and short-form horror.
X: @aondonadaniel30 | Instagram: @aondonadaniel_30
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| Abubakar Auwal | Managing Editor |
Abubakar Auwal, TPC VIII, Pushcart Prize Nominee, is a Nigerian astrophotographic visual artist, speculative poet, editor, and member of Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation. He is the author of Portrait of Gods as Metaphors (forthcoming, 1st runner-up, Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors, Poetry, 2024) and Portrait of Broken Metaphors (Winner, ArtingArena Poetry Chapbook Contest). He won the Splendors of Dawn Poetry and Short Story Competition (Feb–Apr 2023) and has been recognized as a finalist or long-listed for multiple awards, including the BPKW Poetry Contest, AIPFEST24 Poetry Slam, PIN National Poetry Slam—25, NYTH Poetry Contest, Brigitte Poirson Poetry Prize, Akachi Chukwuemeka Prize for Literature, and Blessing Kolajo Poetry Prize. His work has been published or is forthcoming in Eunoia Review, LOLWE, The Carrier Bag, The MAAR Review, The Beatnik Cowboy, Lilac Journal, among other.
Instagram: @abuba_karauwal and X: @saddiq89.
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| S. Abdulwasi'h Olaitan | Managing Editor |
S. Abdulwasi'h Olaitan is a Nigerian-introverted poet, pupil of Laws, and graphics designer. Member of Oyongo Collective. He writes from Ilorin, a city he fondly describes as “a breath from heaven”. He currently serves as Managing Editor at Words-Empire Magazine. A co-winner of the 2024 Prose Purple Writing Prize (Poetry category), 2nd place winner of 2025 Wordweavers contest. His works have appeared or are forthcoming in Bare Hill Review, Jaylit, Pictura Journal, Carolina Muse, ANMLY Press, Synkroniciti Magazine, Exist Otherwise, UGR, Eco Punk Literary, and others. When not writing, he enjoys tea, cherishes his parents, and listens to Billie Eilish in the dark.
Find him on X (formerly Twitter): @saolaw99
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| Sarah Adeyemo | Managing Editor |
Sarah Adeyemo, SWAN IX, is a poet, writer, editor, and spoken word artiste from Nigeria. The author of The Shape of Silence, a micro chapbook. She draws inspiration from solitude and experiences. She is a fellow of the SprinNG Writing Fellowship. Sarah has work published/forthcoming work on Synchronized Chaos Magazine, Pepper Coast Magazine, The Weeds Review, Akpata Magazine, The Shallow Tales Review, The Muse Journal, The Weganda Review, Everscribe Magazine, Afrillhill Press, TV-63 Magazine, Poems for Persons Interest, Northern Writers Forum Journal, Eboquills, Rinna Lit. Anthologies, and elsewhere. Her works have been shortlisted for the 2025 Labari Prize for Poetry and longlisted for the 2025 Eriata Oribhabor Poetry Prize. She serves as the Managing Editor at Words-Empire Magazine and a News & Feature writer at Journal of African Youth Literature.
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| Farai Chaka | Poetry Editor |
Farai Chaka is a writer from Harare, Zimbabwe. His work has been published in Isele Magazine, trampset, Ghost City Review, Subnivean and elsewhere.
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| Ismail Yusuf Olumoh | Poetry Editor |
Ismail Yusuf Olumoh, SWAN VII, is a writer and teacher pursuing a DVM at the University of Maiduguri. He won the Babatunde Babafemi Educational Foundation's Prize for Poetry (2024) and the Folio Literary Journal Poetry Prize (2025). His works appear/forthcoming in South Carolina Review, Bore Score Lit, April Centaur, Agbowó Magazine, Eye To The Telescope, Palette Poetry, Brittle Paper, Shallow Tale Reviews, Eunoia Review, Rowayat, Strange Horizons, and others. He is a reader in ONLY POEM. He writes from Ilorin, Kwara State. You can read him here: linktr.ee/icreatives0
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| Yahuza Usman | Nonfiction Editor |
Yahuza Usman (Crawling Writer) is an award-winning Nigerian writer and winner of the 2024 Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors (Poetry). He is a two-time nonfiction champion at HIASFEST, winner of the HIASFEST 2025 Star Prize, and has received top honors in several national and international competitions, including the Dar Al Andalus Essay Competition, Bill Ward Prize for Emerging Writers, SADAF Essay Competition, Pawners Paper Literary Contest, and HCAF Lagos Quarterly Competition. He was shortlisted for the 2024 ArtingArena Prize for Poetry and named among the Indian Iconic Writers by Sparkling Media in 2022. Yahuza is the Social Media Manager of the Hilltop Creative Arts Foundation (HCAF), Taraba State chapter, and a Computer Science student at Taraba State University, Jalingo. He can be reached via crawlingwriteryahuza@gmail.com, Facebook: Yahuza Usman, Twitter: @YahuzaUsmanJ, and Instagram: @yahuzausmanj.
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| Ikechukwu Henry | Fiction Editor |
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| Victoria Ojo | Nonfiction Reader |
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| Johannes Shikongo | Poetry Reader |
Johannes Shikongo, is a writer, youth leader, medical student and a performance poet. He holds an Honors degree in Biochemistry. He deftly blends his writing prowess with a profound compassion for performance poetry, with publications in Doek magazine, Isele magazine & Muwado, African Storytelling Site. He is a Doek literacy Award & Kinsman African diaspora Award short listee. He commands the stage with his poignant verses that explore the intricacies of the human existence and social concerns.
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| Nneoma Okorie | Fiction Reader |
Nneoma Okorie is in her penultimate year in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Uyo. She is a Writer and a Documentary Photographer and is interested in telling stories and capturing scenes reflecting the rurban lives of people, and moments that we humans pass as insignificant owing to her birth and growth in the city of Aba. She loves to take long walks alone, to watch sunsets, and to listen to classical music. Her works have been published on Kalahari Review, Brittle Paper and Ta Adesa. She is Nneoma Okorie on Facebook, and @nneomaokorie_ on X
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| Matthew Lee Gbigbi | Poetry Reader |
Matthew Lee Gbigbi, alias Godhand, is an emerging logistician, creative writer/poet and author residing in Monrovia, Liberia. He studies Procurement and Logistics Management at Starz University Business College, Cheesemalocated on n Avenue, Airfieldnear the. His works are published in Spillwords Magazine, Kalahari Review, Ikike Arts, Words-Empire Magazine, Enheduanna Journal, Madswirl Review, Sinkhole Magazine, Atunis Poetry, and WilliWash Magazine. He's a contributing author of Raven Cage Anthology, New Leaf Anthology, and Soulful Stardust Anthology. His collection of poems, "A Voice Echoing From The Atlantic" received the award for 'Best Poetry collection' at the Mulher Forte African Literature Award 2024; Recipient of the Ambassador Lahoucine Rahmouni Pen Box-Set for Young Outstanding Creatives from The Kingdom of Morocco Embassy in Liberia; First winner of Dr Joseph S.Spence Poetry Award and 2x First Winner of Suryodadoya Literacy Foundation International Poetry Competition which led to the publication of his first two publications in 2022 & 2023; Shortlisted for the African Writers Award ‘s Wanjhi Prize for African Poetry at Writer Space Africa. Additionally, Matthew loves to photograph people, places and things as inspiration for his daily writing. He’s an editorial reader and member of We Write Liberia (Magazine). He tweets @GodhandLee01.
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| Aliyu Umar Muhammad | Nonfiction Reader |
Aliyu Umar Muhammad is a Nigerian poet, visual artist, creative writing instructor, MC and secretary, Muktar Aliyu Art Residency Minna, Nigeria. He volunteers for Bátà Magazine and Arewa Poetry Review. Aliyu is a solivagant and nature lover. Connect with him on Instagram @poet.haidaar.
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| Pejuola Ransome | Fiction Reader |
Pejuola Ransome is a fiction reader, book reviewer, and writer. She currently volunteers with Reckon Review Magazine, where she evaluates short fiction submissions and provides editorial recommendations. She also writes book reviews for D’Lit Review. Her reading interests include psychological fiction, mystery-thrillers, and some contemporary rom-coms. When she isn't reading, she's writing reviews or football content, or developing story ideas.
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| Emmanuel G G Yamba | Poetry Reader |
Emmanuel G G Yamba is a Liberian writer and poet. A SprinNG, Ußwali and Osidian Foundation Fellow 2025. His work has been featured and forthcoming in Along House, Stripes Literary Magazine, Poetry Journal, Jaylit, Poda Poda, Pepper Coast and elsewhere
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| Muheez Olawale | Fiction Reader |
Muheez Olawale writes poetry and prose from Lagos, Nigeria. His works have appeared in Brittle Paper, PoetryColumnNND, The AprilCentaur, The Kalahari, Afrocritik, Anemone, Akpata Mag, and elsewhere. He is the author of the YA novella, It Takes Four to Tangle. He tweets and grams @_muheezolawale.
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| Chizoba Machebe | Content Writer |
Chizoba Machebe is a writer, speaker, and multidisciplinary (multimedia) artist whose wings span across film, literary, and design. She moves with the burning desire to impact lives with her words through empowering, encouraging and inspiring souls. Social Media handles: Facebook: Machebe Chizoba
IG: @phil_quil
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| Oluwademilade Deborah | Content Writer |
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| Idinye Eweha Favour | Graphics Designer |
Idinye Eweha Favour is a talented graphic designer with a passion for creating visually compelling designs that tell stories and engage audiences. With experience in digital and print media, Favour combines creativity and technical skill to produce work that aligns with brand vision and artistic standards. She is also a poet and writer. Her works explore psychological and spiritual themes of emotional vulnerability, faith and personal healing. She is dedicated to bringing fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to every project she undertakes.