King Yaw makes history as Ghana wins first-ever World Poetry Slam

Ghanaian spoken word artist King Yaw has etched his name in global poetry history by winning the 2025 World Poetry Slam Championship, held in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

His triumph marks the first-ever win for Ghana at the prestigious international competition and a landmark moment for African literature and performance art.

Competing against poets from 30 countries, King Yaw rose to the top with a series of powerful, emotionally charged performances that wowed both judges and audiences.

Though he had earlier placed as first runner-up at Ghana’s own Ehalakasa National Slam, it was on the world stage that his lyrical prowess truly shone.

This year’s victory is the culmination of Ghana’s growing influence in the global slam poetry movement, much of which is credited to Ehalakasa, Ghana’s premier spoken word and poetry network.

Founded over a decade ago and co-led by acclaimed poet Yibor KOJO Yibor, known artistically as Sir Black, Ehalakasa has been the driving force behind Ghana’s emergence in international poetry slams.

Since Ghana’s debut at the World Poetry Slam in Brussels in 2022, the country has steadily climbed the ranks — reaching the semifinals in Brazil (2023) and securing fifth place in Togo (2024). King Yaw’s win in Mexico now stands as Ghana’s highest achievement on the global slam stage.

“This win is not just for me — it’s for Ehalakasa, for Ghana, and for every young poet with a voice and a dream. Poetry is power. And today, that power has an accent — a Ghanaian one,” King Yaw said after the event.

Despite its international accomplishments, Ehalakasa has largely self-financed Ghana’s participation in the World Poetry Slam Championships.

The World Poetry Slam Championship, organized by a Brussels-based NGO, is regarded as the “World Cup” of spoken word poetry.

It gathers poets, slammers, and slam masters from across the globe for an electrifying celebration of storytelling, language, and human emotion.