Wole Soyinka Nobel Laureate leads race for Oxford Professor of Poetry

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka is set to be elected as the Oxford professor of poetry after emerging as the leading candidate for the role.

Candidates for the 300-year-old position, which is seen as the top academic poetry role in the UK, need to be nominated by at least 50 Oxford graduates.

Soyinka has already gathered more than 90 nominations, including votes from writers, Melvyn Bragg and Robert Macfarlane, the Guardian UK reports.

The role is currently occupied by eminent poet, Geoffrey Hillwho will complete his five-year tenure this summer.

Also competing for the position are Ian Gregson, a poet, literary critic and professor of creative writing at Bangor University who has 54 nominations and Seán Haldane, a poet and award-winning novelist who has 51 nominations.

The Oxford Professor of Poetry will give one public lecture a term and will earn a stipend of £12,000 a year.

The winner will be announced on June 19.