Ghanaian slam poet Enam Afi has placed third at the 4th African Slam Poetry Cup (CASP) 2025, held in Guinea, earning a cash prize of 200,000 FCFA and securing Ghana a spot on the pan-African podium of one of the continent’s most prestigious spoken-word competitions.
The four-day continental event brought together 38 top slam poets from across Africa, including representatives from Senegal, Benin, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and the host nation, Guinea. The competition celebrated slam poetry as a powerful tool for social engagement, cultural identity, and youth expression.
While the Republic of Congo emerged as the overall winner through slam poet AriS’LAM, and Guinea clinched second place, Ghana’s third-place finish through Enam Afi reaffirmed the country’s growing influence in Africa’s slam poetry movement.
Speaking after the competition, Enam Afi reflected on her journey to the continental stage, expressing pride in representing Ghana while also voicing concern about the lack of institutional backing for poets.
‘I expected better support on this journey, especially knowing that I was carrying Ghana’s flag and putting the country on the map,’ she said.
The poet used the moment to make a direct appeal to government institutions, cultural policymakers, and arts stakeholders, urging them to invest more deliberately in poetry and spoken-word artists.
‘Poets are doing important cultural work. With the right support, we can represent Ghana even more strongly on global stages,’ she added.
As conversations around cultural policy and creative funding continue across the continent, Enam Afi’s win adds urgency to the demand for sustainable support systems for African poets.
