Akeem Lasisi
Seasoned writer, Ogaga Ifowodo, has remembered abducted student, Leah Sharibu, with glowing words.
Ifowodo remembered her when the Committee for the Relevant Arts and NLNG hosted the 11 poets longlisted for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Ifowodo is on the list with his collection, Why Does God Need a Gun?
He has been in the $100,000 competition thrice and he believes there is no going back in the exploration of all the best his talent and craft can bring.
At the event held at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, Ifowodo spoke on the work , wondering why some mortals believe they have to protect God and others.
He added that the collection also celebrates those who have said ‘No’ in the face of oppression.
“We cannot forget Leah Sharibu,” Ifowodo noted. “She had the courage to say ‘N’ when the captors asked her o relinquish her religion. Her courage to say ‘No’ is worth celebrating a million times.”
Ifowodo is happy that he is among the hopeful 11.
He said, “As a writer, three times what I have done have been considered worthy of being among the best 11. That is an n inspiration.”
