Theresa Lola

British Nigerian poet and writer (born 1994)

Theresa Lola

Born	(1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 30) Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality	British
Education	Kellogg College, Oxford, University of Hertfordshire
Occupation	Writer
Notable work	Ceremony for the Nameless (2024), In Search of Equilibrium (2019)
Awards	Brunel International African Poetry Prize

Theresa Lola (born 6 May 1994) is a British Nigerian poet and writer. She was joint winner of the 2018 Brunel International African Poetry Prize.^[1] In April 2019, she was announced as the 2019 Young People's Laureate for London.^[2]

Early life

Theresa Lola was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to London, England in 2007 when she was 13. In 2015, she graduated with a first-class degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Hertfordshire. She later obtained a masters in Creative Writing from University of Oxford. ^[3]

Career

After her undergrad, Lola took part in the Barbican Young Poets programme.^[4] Shortly after she was shortlisted for the 2016 Bridport Poetry Prize,^[5] and later won the 2017 Hammer and Tongue National Poetry Slam.^[6]

In 2018, she was joint winner of the 2018 Brunel International African Poetry Prize. In that same year she was commissioned by the Mayor of London's Office to write and read a poem at the unveiling of Millicent Fawcett's statue at Parliament Square.^[7] A year later, in April 2019, she was announced as the 2019 Young People's Laureate for London. In 2019 Lola's debut full-length poetry collection In Search of Equilibrium was published by Nine Arches Press, described by Pascale Petit as a "glorious hymn to being alive and wounded".^[8]

Theresa’s second collection Ceremony for the Nameless, published by Penguin in 2024, explores the relationship between names, naming, and identity. Renowned author Ishmael Reed has hailed the book as "relentlessly inventive and often stunning." Legendary writer Nikki Giovanni added, "What a joy to see a new sun rising in the poetic sky!"^[9]

Bibliography

Poetry Collections

Ceremony for the Nameless, Penguin Books, 2024; ISBN: 9781802065794
In Search of Equilibrium, Nine Arches Press, 2019; ISBN: 978-1-911027-68-3

References

^ "Theresa Lola is joint winner of Brunel International African Poetry Prize". The Poetry Society. 1 May 2018.
^ Varghese, Sanjana (19 April 2019). "Theresa Lola named young people's laureate for London". The Guardian.
^ Prichard, Charlotte (17 August 2018). "Women We Watch: Theresa Lola". Tatty Devine.
^ "Impossible Things About Optimism" (PDF). Barbican Young Poets 2016. Barbican Centre.
^ "2016 Shortlists". The Bridport Prize.
^ Lydia, Smith (13 January 2017). "New UK Poetry Slam champion crowned at the Royal Albert Hall". Royal Albert Hall.
^ Alexandra, Topping (24 April 2018). "First statue of a woman in Parliament Square unveiled". The Guardian.
^ "In Search of Equilibrium". Nine Arches Press.
^ "Ceremony for the Nameless". Penguin.