Bayo Akinnola is a poet of place, memory, and the quiet urgencies of everyday life. His work uncovers depth in the seemingly mundane and resonance in lived experience. For more than two decades, he has shaped language into witness, crafting poetry that reflects both personal and collective realities.

In 2018, his poem When I Die was adjudged the overall best among submissions from across Africa, marking a defining milestone in his literary journey. He was also named First Runner-Up for the Agidigbo Poetry Prize in 2021. Bayo has authored more than 500 poems, many of which have appeared in international literary journals, including Poetry Salad Magazine (USA, 2018). His work continues to engage diverse audiences through its reflective and socially conscious voice.

Beyond the page, Bayo has brought poetry into public spaces. He previously served as the in-house radio poet on Rock City FM Abeokuta’s Pillow Talks, introducing poetry to wider audiences through the airwaves. Since 2020, he has served as Curator of the Naija Poets’ Collective, a global gathering of contemporary Nigerian poets, where he champions emerging voices while steadily refining his own craft.

Though academically trained in Computer Science, Bayo has always found his deepest expression within literature. He holds an MSc in Digital Health from Bournemouth University, Dorset, England, where he lives and works.

At the heart of his writing is the conviction that poetry is not only an art form but also a vehicle for reflection, advocacy, and enduring human connection.