Zakari Emmanuel is a UNDP Africa Creative 4 Peace winner from Nigeria, a spoken word
poet and development professional working at the intersection of storytelling, governance,
peacebuilding and social justice in Africa.
He is the founding lead of ARTvocacy: Voices Beyond Divides, a creative platform that uses
spoken word poetry, storytelling and theatre to spark dialogue, promote peace and strengthen
social cohesion among Nigerian youth. He is also the founder of Udama 4 Africa, an
organisation focused on youth empowerment through creative arts, and the host of Beyond
The Ballot Podcast, which explores civic participation, human rights, accountability and
youth engagement in African societies.
Through poetry, digital media, community outreach and civic initiatives, Zakari uses creative
expression to challenge dominant narratives, amplify marginalised voices and create spaces
for young people to engage with issues affecting their communities. He has led and
contributed to initiatives spanning peacebuilding, civic education, grassroots mobilisation and
youth leadership development, driven by his belief that art can be a powerful tool for
dialogue, social transformation and collective action.
