Ifowodo Wins $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Poetry on Religious, Political Violence

Wale Igbintade

Poet Ogaga Ifowodo has won The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2026, securing the $100,000 cash award for his collection, Why Does God Need a Gun?, which examines religious and political violence in Nigeria.

In a related development, Beyond Tarkwa Bay by Peter Oghenetega Oke and Mara Mania by Feranmi Abiola have emerged as joint winners of the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, which carries a $20,000 cash award.

The winners were announced at the Grand Award Night organised by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in Lagos on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Ifowodo’s poetry collection was selected from 223 entries, while the two winning documentaries emerged from 98 submissions for the Creative Arts Prize.

Announcing the literature winner, Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, described Why Does God Need a Gun? as a sensitive portrayal of religious and political violence in Nigeria, narrated through the voice of an imagined victim.

She commended all three shortlisted poetry collections for their technical skill, confidence and mature use of language, noting that they addressed themes extending beyond Nigeria’s borders.

According to her, the collections explored interconnected issues, including identity and belonging, the promises and disappointments of nationhood, the consequences of extremism and displacement, and the enduring impact of conflict on individuals and communities.

She said that, although distinct in voice and style, the works were rooted in the Nigerian experience while contributing to wider global conversations about humanity.

On the Creative Arts Prize, Technical Adviser to its Advisory Board, Joel Kachi Benson, praised the five shortlisted documentaries for challenging perceptions, fostering human connections and drawing attention to communities and experiences that often remain overlooked.

He said the films brought audiences closer to communities whose stories were rarely told and amplified voices that frequently went unheard.

Benson added that the documentaries celebrated resilience, documented culture, preserved memory and presented perspectives that enriched society’s understanding of itself.

The literature and creative arts awards followed the September 2026 announcement of Mary-Brenda Akoda as the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.
Akoda’s winning innovation, GenScan AI (GenMRI/C-MORE), is an artificial intelligence-powered solution designed to accelerate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Her victory marked two milestones: she became the prize’s first Generation Z recipient and the first woman to win as an individual awardee.

Speaking at the ceremony, NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, said the Nigeria Prizes were established to recognise outstanding achievements and promote scientific innovation, literary excellence and creative expression that enrich society and improve lives.

He noted that the science and innovation prize had recognised groundbreaking contributions across critical sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, engineering, energy, technology, climate resilience and sustainable development.

According to him, the prize had celebrated scientists whose work extended beyond laboratories and research papers to deliver practical solutions capable of improving lives.

Falade said this year’s winning innovation, which focuses on artificial intelligence and information technology, had the potential to transform lives in Nigeria and beyond.

On literature, he said The Nigeria Prize for Literature had grown into one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honours, attracting widespread interest and providing a platform for some of the continent’s finest literary voices.

He said Nigerian writers had demonstrated through the prize that their stories were more than accounts of their origins, contributing meaningfully to global conversations about identity, resilience and shared humanity.

Falade described the Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts as a platform for recognising originality, authenticity and creative excellence, particularly among artists who preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage while reinterpreting it for a new generation.

He said the three prizes had become enduring national institutions, demonstrating what could be achieved when excellence was recognised, rewarded and encouraged.

Congratulating the winners and finalists, Falade said their achievements reflected discipline, dedication and perseverance.

He expressed hope that the awards would inspire a new generation of scientists, writers and creative professionals to develop solutions to future challenges, tell compelling stories and shape the country’s future.

In his remarks, Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka called for closer collaboration between the humanities and the sciences, describing imagination as a vital link between literature, creative arts and scientific inquiry.

He argued that imagination was not confined to the humanities, noting that disciplines such as mathematics and physics also depended on vision and the ability to conceive new possibilities.

Soyinka urged practitioners in both fields to work together to expand the boundaries of imagination and combine their strengths in the service of humanity.

He stressed that human wellbeing should remain central to creative expression and scientific advancement.

NLNG said the Nigeria Prizes reaffirmed its commitment to recognising excellence and encouraging achievements capable of contributing to a sustainable future.