With a group confronting spiritual fanaticism, political violence and the abuse of energy, poet and human rights lawyer Ogaga Ifowodo has gained this 12 months’s Nigeria Prize for Literature. Yinka Olatunbosun stories
The air contained in the Grand Ballroom, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island Lagos was thick with anticipation—a vibrant mixture of nervous pleasure and the delicate hum of keen chatter. A practice for the literati, the Nigeria Prize for Literature and the Prize for Literary Criticism is arguably probably the most prestigious occasion celebrating Nigerian resilience, creativeness, and scholarly rigour. With a life-changing prize $100,000 for the flagship literature award, alongside the celebrated $10,000 literary criticism prize and the acclaimed science and artistic arts honour, the evening represented absolutely the pinnacle of recognition for the nation’s inventive and scientific minds.
When the envelope was unsealed by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chairperson of the Prize’s Advisory Board, one identify resonated throughout the corridor to thunderous applause: Ogaga Ifowodo. A famend poet, human rights lawyer, and scholar, Ifowodo was declared winner for his masterful poetry assortment, Why Does God Need a Gun? edging out fellow finalists James Ngwu Eze (Unbind Me Now) and Tares Oburumu (Flora’s Love Colony).
The 2026 Grand Finale marked a monumental milestone for African letters, reaffirming the indispensable function of inventive expression in framing socio-political consciousness. The night drew collectively a unprecedented cross-section of Nigeria’s mental elite together with Prof. Wole Soyinka in addition to different celebrated authors, company leaders, and younger literary fanatics desperate to witness historical past within the making.
Throughout the ceremony, dramatic readings and musical interludes breathed bodily life into the nominated texts. Excerpts from the shortlisted poetry collections echoed by the corridor, demonstrating the depth, rhythmic magnificence, and ethical urgency of latest Nigerian verse.
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo, who learn the quotation for the successful textual content, lauded Why Does God Need a Gun? for its daring allegorical construction, profound ethical inquiry, and lyrical craftsmanship. The daring assortment confronts the paradoxes of spiritual fanaticism, systemic violence, state accountability, and the human situation in fashionable Nigeria.
“Ogaga Ifowodo’s work explores religious and political violence using a rich allegorical style,” famous the Advisory Board. “It serves not only as a fiery indictment of terror and impunity but also as a tender hymn for the vanished and the waiting—for every child whose laughter was silenced and every parent who keeps a place at the table.”
Ifowodo, whose earlier celebrated works embrace Homeland and Other Poems, Madiba, The Oil Lamp, and A Good Mourning, has lengthy been recognised as one of the crucial important voices in African poetry. His victory represents the end result of a long time devoted to pushing the boundaries of political verse and humanitarian activism.
It was fairly emotional too for him having been famously detained by the army regime of General Sani Abacha from November 1997 to April 1998. In October 1997, Ifowodo traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Operating on behalf of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), he and different activists actively campaigned for the worldwide neighborhood to impose stricter sanctions towards the Abacha dictatorship. He was arrested by state safety brokers instantly upon his return to Nigeria round November 6, 1997. He was held incommunicado in solitary confinement with out official acknowledgment of his arrest, medical entry, or formal authorized expenses.
Fast-forward to 2026, he obtained the award to a standing ovation. An emotional Ifowodo expressed gratitude to NLNG, the judges, and his fellow nominees. He emphasised that poetry stays a significant mirror by which a society should examine its conscience.
“Poetry is not merely an ornament of language; it is a weapon of truth and a sanctuary for hope,” Ifowodo acknowledged in his acceptance speech. “To receive this honour among such extraordinary colleagues is humbling. This award belongs to every Nigerian who continues to seek light through the dark corridors of our shared history.”
Prior to this evening of honour, Ifowodo had appealed to the organisers to present considerate consideration to extending some appreciation prize cash to the runners-up as towards the winner-takes-it-all method to the extremely coveted prize. Ofowodo had beforehand made the shortlist in 2018 when his work A Good Mourning was listed for the prize.
In a pre-prize interview session held in Lagos, Ofowodo revealed the inspiration behind the guide and its title.
“Why does God need a gun? is a rhetorical question. The answer is even evident in the question itself. God, the almighty, all powerful, who according to the Abrahamic religions, molded us human beings out of clay. And then, some of his creations who, again, were made out of mere clay, suddenly think that they are more powerful than their creator, than the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God. And how to defend him, how to protect him, turn ourselves literally into God’s guardians. So the question is, why would God need a gun wielded on his behalf by his weaklings, mere creations?”
Ifowodo suggested that an aspiring author or would-be poet should first learn voraciously, particularly the nice masters, after which study to mimic them.
“Now, by learning to imitate, some people might think you should be original. No. Actually, there’s no such thing as originality. If you will be original, you are going to have to give birth to yourself from your own head, you know, then you can be original. You are going to form a totally new language nobody has spoken before. So, imitation does not mean mere copying. Imitation means learning from the example of those who have come before you.”
Later, he promised to institute a prize at his alma mater, Federal Government College, Warri for poetry along with his prize cash.
From the perspective of the judging panel, the choice course of was one of the crucial difficult within the prize’s historical past, given the sheer quantity and high quality of submissions. From over 100 entries, the longlist was narrowed to 11, and finally to the ultimate three.
The runner-up works—James Ngwu Eze’s Unbind Me Now and Tares Oburumu’s Flora’s Love Colony—have been praised by the jury for his or her immense technical craft, emotional vulnerability, and stylistic innovation. In a heat show of literary camaraderie, finalists embraced on stage, embodying a shared dedication to elevating Nigerian literature globally.
Filmmakers Peter Oghenetega Oke and Feranmi Abiola gained the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts ($20,000) as joint winners. Oke gained for his documentary, Beyond Tarkwa Bay whereas Abiola gained for his documentary, Mara Mania. Both creators shared the $20,000 money prize, which centered on younger Nigerian documentary filmmakers exploring themes of neighborhood and identification.
During the award presentation, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, introduced the trophy and $100,000 cheque to Ifowodo. Falade emphasised the vital function that arts and artistic expression play alongside science in driving sustainable nationwide growth.
“Through the Nigeria Prize for Literature, NLNG reaffirms its unwavering commitment to recognizing artistic excellence, amplifying creative voices, and inspiring a sustainable future for our nation,” Falade acknowledged
The night concluded with a gala dinner and efficiency, as writers, critics, publishers, and humanities patrons toasted to a brand new chapter in African literature. Through the visionary stewardship of NLNG and the unyielding ardour of its writers, the nation’s tales will proceed to impress, heal, and encourage audiences across the globe.
