On November 8, 2025, The Future Awards announced its winners for various categories, including Literature. 

Adedayo Agarau emerged as the winner out of five nominees announced earlier. He is a poet, essayist, educator and editor who has authored five chapbooks. His most recent book, titled The Years of Blood, was published by Fordham University Press. The Future Award win is another milestone for Adedayo Agarau, who previously won the Poetic Justice Institute Editor’s Prize. Agarau received his M.F.A. in Poetry from the University of Iowa in 2023 and is currently a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University (2023-2025). 

Additionally, Agarau is actively involved in developing literary communities in Nigeria through communities like UnSerious Collective Fellowship, of which he is a member. And as a founding editor with  Poetry Sango-Ota, which organizes poetry workshops and mentoring opportunities for young Nigerian poets. He was a founding editor at IceFloe Press, Canada, as the New International Voices editor and African Chapbook Acquisition manager.

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For the 19th Edition of The Future Awards Africa, the theme, “Threads of Legacy,”  spotlighted young changemakers shaping Africa’s tomorrow. Adedayo Agarau is a testament to the accuracy of the theme. On the social platform X (FKA Twitter), he celebrated his win with the words ‘This one is for African Poetry to the World’. He consistently utilizes his platform to promote African poetry through organizing writing challenges. Overall, Adedayo seeks growth from every poet to emerge from Africa.