By Juliet Ebirim

Sandra Nwadi is steadily securing a place in Nigeria’s contemporary literary landscape as her debut poetry collection, Do Not Keep Me Closed, continues to attract attention for its exploration of social issues and the human experience.

The anthology features 60 original poems exploring themes such as justice, governance, identity, feminism, grief, love, art and the realities of contemporary society. Since its official launch in December 2024 at Rovingheights, Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, the collection has continued to find expression through literary gatherings and spoken-word performances across different platforms.

The launch event, hosted by businesswoman and Roots2Market Company CEO, Nwando Okonkwo Ajene, also celebrated the legacy of Sandra Nwadi’s late father, Justice John Carter Chukwuemeka Nwadi, alongside tributes to her mother, Lady B.I. Nwadi, and siblings, Fyfy John and Kenny Nwadi, to whom the collection is dedicated.

Beyond the book, poems from Do Not Keep Me Closed have been adapted into songs, aired on radio stations in Nigeria, London, Paris and Berlin.

A lawyer by profession, Nwadi combines her legal background with interests in literature, advocacy and the arts. She is a member of several professional and literary organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Federation of Women Lawyers and the Association of Nigerian Authors.