Abuja:Demand for books by the three poets shortlisted for the $100,000 2026 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature has soared since the announcement. The poets, Tares Oburumu, James Eze, and Ogaga Ifowodo, have seen increased readership and interest in their works.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the recognition has brought poetry and its discussions on Nigeria, identity, faith, and society to a wider audience. The shortlisted poets’ books were selected from an initial longlist of 11 entries in the poetry category.
James Eze, author of “Unbind Me Now,” noted that the attention from the prize has expanded the reach of his work beyond Nigeria. A PhD student from Makerere University in Uganda contacted him after a television appearance, interested in his collection for her research on political displacement in Africa. Eze expressed that the prize has elevated public interest in literature, even among those not typically engaged with books. His book, featuring 71 poems, addresses themes of insecurity and frustration in Nigeria.
Tares Oburumu’s “Flora’s Love Colony” examines Nigeria’s history from pre-colonial times to the post-colonial era. Oburumu emphasized poetry’s ability to convey historical narratives concisely and noted the widened audience for his work due to the shortlist. He shared an anecdote about a reader in Sudan who found solace in one of his poems during a difficult time.
Ogaga Ifowodo’s “Why Does God Need a Gun?” explores themes of religious belief and extremism. Using Leah Sharibu as a symbolic figure, the collection delves into the experiences of abducted schoolgirls and questions the use of faith to justify violence. Ifowodo hopes to engage readers with the anxieties and hopes of his subjects.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, established in 2004, covers various literary genres. The 2026 edition focused on poetry and received 223 entries, eventually narrowing down to the three shortlisted books.