Shortlisted poet James Eze says his collection, Unbind Me Now, uses outrage to confront Nigeria’s insecurity, ethnic divisions and the growing disappointment surrounding the country’s direction. Eze disclosed this in an interview in Lagos while discussing the collection, which is among the three books shortlisted for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Eze said the collection was inspired by his disillusionment with what he described as Nigeria’s failure to fulfil the promises associated with independence. According to him, the poems express intense disappointment with the realities of contemporary Nigeria, particularly the insecurity, displacement and violence affecting communities across the country.
The poet said the departure of young Nigerians in search of better opportunities had also influenced the collection, alongside the country’s deepening ethnic divisions. He explained that he deliberately adopted a poetry of outrage to capture the experiences and dilemma of being Nigerian at the present time, using fire as a recurring image associated with burning, destruction, purification and cleansing.
Eze said the collection also served as an attempt to document the experiences of his generation for future generations before memories of the period fade. He explained that the poems were written between 2020 and 2025, with some emerging from the isolation and uncertainty experienced during the COVID-19 period.
The poet expressed hope that Unbind Me Now would encourage Nigerians across ethnic and political divides to recognise their shared vulnerability and find common ground. The 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature, which focuses on poetry, has Eze, Tares Oburumu and Ogaga Ifowodo shortlisted for the $100,000 prize, with the competition covering poetry this year.
