James Ngwu Eze’s Unbind Me Now, Ogaga Ifowodo’s Why Does God Need A Gun? and Tares Oburumu’s Flora’s Love Colony have emerged as the top three collections for this year’s Nigeria Prize for Literature.

The three works were unveiled yesterday from the long list of 11 titles announced in July from the initial pool of 223 submissions.

The shortlist marks the culmination of an intensive judging process that has placed the works under scrutiny for their language, form, originality, craftsmanship and lasting literary value.

Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the Nigeria Prize for Literature, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a past winner of the prize in 2008, said the selection reflects the depth and quality of contemporary Nigerian poetry, noting: “Arriving at the final three from 223 submissions was a demanding task for the judges.”

She said the shortlist represents works that have distinguished themselves through their literary output, originality and ability to engage readers and the world around them.

The jury commended Eze’s Unbind Me Now for its use of language that is fluid and aesthetically captivating.

“This collection decries the sociopolitical dysfunction of the nation and the world at large, interrogating the human condition, and charting a path for redemption,” said the jury.

On Ifowodo, the jury noted that his Why Does God Need A Gun? depicts religious and political violence in Nigeria, couched in a rich allegorical style.

“Delivered with the tripartite structure of body, mind and spirit, Ifowodo interrogates those forces that emblematise the world’s challenging ethos.”

For Oburumu’s Flora’s Love Colony, the jury said the collection “is written in a densely poetic style on Nigeria’s troubled history. It challenges mainstream narrative and is an inspiring socio-historical collection, captured in lucid imagery and evocative language.”

Now in its 22nd year, the 2026 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature is dedicated to poetry, continuing the Prize’s yearly rotation among four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.

The Prize is sponsored by NLNG as part of its commitment to recognising literary excellence, encouraging creativity and contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s literary culture.