‘Why Do Humans Need God To Justify A Gun?’ — Ifowodo Speaks After $100,000 Prize Win

In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP , Ogaga Ifowodo, the poet who was awarded the Nigeria Prize for Literature, valued at $100,000, for his collection of poetry, Why Does God Need A Gun?,   spoke about faith, extremism, power and the violence that has shaped parts of Nigeria’s recent history.
Asked, “If God does not need a gun, why do you think human beings so often need God to justify one?” , Ifowodo said, invoking God can become a way of shielding human motives from scrutiny.
“Because by falsely invoking the name of God, they appeal to our innate fear, awe and worship of God, hoping thereby to prevent any rational examination of their motives, their quest for power and domin...