By Fatima Mukhtar
The MPS Media Poetry Challenge has been thrown into uncertainty following the sudden resignation of four of its most respected judges. The judges in persons of Abba Musa Idris, Dr. Aishat Ize Yusuf, Aisha Sani Lawan Indabawa, and Prof. Nasir Umar Abdullahi, announced their departure in a joint statement expressing “deep sadness and heavy hearts.”
The poets, who had served as judges from the early stages of the competition, were widely loved by contestants and followers of the challenge. Many credit them for making the competition more engaging, credible and inspiring.
In their statement, the former judges said they joined the project with passion and sincere intentions, hoping to help build a fair and transparent literary contest. However, a series of internal issues compelled them to step aside.
According to them, the judging process became compromised, with pressure to use voting systems rather than the more professional and structured aggregation method they recommended from the beginning. They also criticised last-minute changes to judging arrangements, including the introduction of new judges who had not participated in the earlier stages of the contest. This, they said, left them sidelined and reduced to judging only their individual teams.
The group added that communication with the organisers deteriorated over time, leaving them feeling dismissed and disrespected. They noted that some contestants were put in uncomfortable situations without adequate preparation, and audience reactions began to overshadow professional judgment — a shift they believed threatened the integrity of the competition.
The judges also rejected claims that they were seeking attention, insisting that their only goal was fairness, transparency and respect for poetry.
“We stepped down because fairness must never be sacrificed,” they said. “We will not serve in a system that does not honour the truth.”
In their message to contestants, the judges expressed pride in their creativity and encouraged them to keep writing. They also thanked supporters who stood by them throughout the competition.
Their exit has sparked widespread reaction among poetry enthusiasts, many of whom say the competition may not be the same without them.
As the MPS Media Poetry Challenge enters its final stages, it remains unclear how organisers plan to rebuild confidence and address the concerns raised by the former judges.
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