Gboyega Odubanjo

Gboyega Odubanjo (30 January 1996 – August 2023) was a British-Nigerian poet from East London, England.

Gboyega Odubanjo
Born	(1996-01-30)January 30, 1996 London, England
Died	c. 31 August 2023(2023-08-31) (aged 27) Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, England
Occupation	Poet
Language	English
Education	Doctor of Philosophy
Alma mater	University of East Anglia, University of Hertfordshire

Early life and education

Gboyega Odubanjo was born on 30 January 1996,^[1][2] in London, England, where he also grew up.^[3]

Odubanjo attended the University of East Anglia between 2014 and 2019.^[4] He earned his Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy in 2017, and his Master's degree in poetry in 2018.^[5] He was studying for a PhD in creative writing at the University of Hertfordshire at the time of his death.^[3][4]

Gboyega was posthumously awarded a Doctor of Philosophy by the University of Hertfordshire for a programme of work entitled Adam: Fear of a Black Planet, as his work had been completed before his death.^[6]

Career

Odubanjo's first pamphlet, While I Yet Live, was published in 2019 by Bad Betty Press.^[5] This was followed by Aunty Uncle Poems, which won the Poetry Business Competition. After his death, Faber announced that Adam, a first full-length collection, would be published in 2024. The book revisits the unsolved murder of an unidentified black boy whose body was discovered in the River Thames in 2001.^[2]

Odubanjo was a board member and former guest editor of Magma Poetry.^[5] He was the editor of bath magg, an online magazine of poetry, and an editor at independent publisher Bad Betty Press.^[3][4]

Death

In August 2023, Odubanjo died in an accidental drowning at the Shambala Festival in Northamptonshire where he was due to perform.^[7][8] He had been reporting as missing for several days before his body was found.^[1][9]

Awards

Received

• 2020: Poetry Business New Poet's prize for Aunty Uncle Poems^[4][5]
• 2021: Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors^[4]
• 2021: Michael Marks pamphlet award for Aunty Uncle Poems^[4][5][10]

Shortlisted

• 2020: OutSpoken Prize for Poetry for While I Yet Live^[5]
• 2024: T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry for Adam^[11]

References

1. Kent-Smith, Jasmine (1 September 2023). "Family and friends of Gboyega Odubanjo issue statement following discovery of body in search for 'inimitable' missing poet". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
2. "Gboyega Odubanjo, poet acclaimed for his 'brutal honesty' and 'side-splitting humour' – obituary". The Telegraph. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
3. Moses, Claire (1 September 2023). "Body Is Found in Search for Missing British Poet". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
4. McMenemy, Rachael (1 September 2023). "Gboyega Odubanjo: Tributes to 'incomparable' poet after body found". BBC News. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
5. "Gboyega Odubanjo wins Michael Marks Poetry Award". www.newwriting.net. December 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
6. Neal-Holder, Paige (2 November 2023). "Gboyega Odubanjo: Poet to be awarded posthumous degree". Newsbeat | BBC News.
7. Bradbrook, Kate; Kris Holland (30 April 2024). "Gboyega Odubanjo inquest: Coroner says poet's death was accidental". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
8. MacLeod, Logan (30 April 2024). "Tributes paid to 'acclaimed' poet and 'beloved' son who tragically died at popular music festival in Northamptonshire". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
9. Hughes, Seren; Peter Chappell (1 September 2023). "Gboyega Odubanjo: family criticise police search after body found". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
10. "Gboyega Odubanjo: Aunty Uncle Poems". Michael Marks Awards. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
11. Creamer, Ella (1 October 2024). "TS Eliot prize for poetry shortlist contains 'a strong strain of elegy'". The Guardian.