The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
All works are speculative fiction, were published between January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023, and are by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines.
NOVEL
Bones and Runes by Stephen Embleton (Abibiman Publishing, 2022)
Dazzling by Chikodili Emelumadu (Hachette; Wildifre, Headline Publishing Group, 2023)
Don’t answer when they call your name by Ukamaka Olisakwe (Masobe Books, 2023)
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Olabufon by Wole Talabi (Gollancz and DAW Books, 2023)
Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde (Harper Collins; 4th Estate and Riverhead Books, 2022)
Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Orbit Books, 2023)
NOVELLA
Broken Paradise by Eugen Bacon (Luna Press Publishing, 2023)
Land of the Awaiting Birth by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Joshua Uchenna Omenga (from Between Dystopias: The Road to Afropantheology, ed Oghenechovwe Ekpeki Donald and Joshua Uchenna Omenga, CAEZIK SF & Fantasy, 2023)
The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi (Tordotcom, 2023)
Undulation by Stephen Embleton (Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, ed Wole Talabi, Android Press, 2023)
SHORT STORY
“A Name is a Plea and a Prophecy” by Gabrielle Emem Harry (Strange Horizons 14 August, 2023)
“Blackwater Children” by Moustapha Mbacké Diop (Haven Speculative Fiction, Issue 7, Nov 2022)
Myriad science fiction and fantasy awards are given but not so many that it goes unnoticed if they skip a year. Here are four sff awards that have missed a beat, with an assessment of whether we’re likely to see them again.
Campbell Award
JOHN W. CAMPBELL MEMORIAL AWARD
LAST GIVEN: 2019
Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss established the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science fiction novel of the year following the editor’s 1971 death. The juried award was first presented in 1973. It came to be frequently presented at the University of Kansas Center for the Study of Science Fiction’s (CSSF) Campbell Conference (renamed “Gunn Center Conference” in 2019).
However, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel has not been given since 2019. A number of awards were forced on hiatus by the pandemic but before that began the Campbell was already in trouble over strong challenges to the reputation of its namesake.
The Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction acknowledges and condemns the problematic words and actions of John W. Campbell.
We had already been discussing changing the name of the Campbell Conference to the Gunn Center Conference, which is in any case more accurate…
As for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science-fiction novel of the year, the Center directors and Award jurors are currently discussing alternatives; when a decision is made, we will announce it.
However, by November 2021 McKitterick had left the Gunn Center for another job under the umbrella of the University of Kansas’ Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI), and the following month the CSSF got a new director. Despite the CSSF’s then-Associate-Deputy Kij Johnson saying, “The Gunn Center remains in control of the Conference and the Campbell Award, and it will be up to them to decide what comes next,” what happened is that the Center continued running the Sturgeon Award and did nothing with the Campbell Award. Whether they wanted to may have been a moot question — McKitterick says the CSSF doesn’t own the rights. On his own Campbell Award website he wrote, “The new English SF Center does not own or manage the Award, and its Chair [McKitterick] and jury are seeking a new host organization friendly with our history and mission.”
When the award was last given in 2019 the jury members were Gregory Benford, Sheila Finch, Paul Kincaid, Christopher McKitterick (Chair), Pamela Sargent, and Lisa Yaszek.
Jury member Gregory Benford said in 2021, “No clear message yet on the award. We’ve gotten so little from NYC publishing last year and this, we can’t do it. Next year, yes. On the name: we’re divided, with no clear other choice. (I favor keeping just JWC award.)” However, there was no activity throughout 2022 either. Then at the end of the year, unfortunately, Gregory Benford had a major stroke. Although Allen Steele offered a positive update, it would be surprising if Benford resumed work on a literary jury.
With no sponsor, years having passed without a decision on a new name, an award jury divided over making a name change and likely to lose its most highly-awarded member for health reasons, the Campbell Memorial Award has probably come to the end of its run.
Prediction: The award has “joined the choir invisible”.
JAMES WHITE AWARD
LAST GIVEN: 2019
The James White Award, established in 2000, offered non-professional writers the opportunity to have their work published in Interzone, the UK’s leading sf magazine. The winner received a £200 prize. The competition was open to original, unpublished short stories of not more than 6,000 words by non-professional writers.
Quoting the administrator Martin McGrath, their Facebook page announced in August 2020 that “Due to technical issues with the current website, and problems caused by a certain global crises beyond our control, we have not been able to set a timetable for this year and, with a great deal of reluctance, we have concluded that it will not be possible to schedule the competition in 2020.” The text ended with a promise to return in 2021, but there have been no further posts on that page.
In mid-2022 Andy Cox was struggling to produce his final issue of Interzone before handing over to Gareth Jelley, who seems to have found it hard going, with his first issue not seen until this year (dated January, reached subscribers in February) and the second still awaited despite hopes of return to a bimonthly schedule. Therefore he probably has not even been asked about continuing the James White Award.
Prediction: “This is an ex-award.”
NOMMO AWARDS
LAST GIVEN: 2022
The Nommo Awards for Speculative Fiction by Africans are presented by the African Speculative Fiction Society, an organization of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers. The group was founded in 2016, and the awards were given for the first time in 2017.
For the first three years the Nommo Awards ceremonies were held at the Aké Arts & Book Festival in Nigeria. The 2020 ceremony – which had already been taken online due to the pandemic – was postponed out of respect for the people injured in protests then occurring in Lagos and other Nigerian cities. After a delay the virtual ceremony went ahead. The next two ceremonies moved to North American venues, with the 2021 awards given at the World Science Fiction Convention, DisCon III, in Washington, D.C. and the 2022 awards at Chicon 8 in Chicago.
Since the Chicon 8 ceremony there has been no Nommo Awards activity. The African Speculative Fiction Society reportedly said they were suspending it to restructure the organization. While I know the organization wants to do more than just give an award, the Nommos have been successful in drawing attention to some good sff writers.
Prediction: We hope it will soon be ready to fly again.
CHESLEY AWARDS
LAST GIVEN: 2021 (for work published in 2020)
The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists established the Chesley Awards in 1985 as a peer award to recognize individual works and achievements during a given year. They were initially called the ASFA Awards but were later renamed to honor the famed astronomical artist Chesley Bonestell after his death in 1986. The awards are nominated and decided upon by ASFA members.
The 2022 winners of the African Speculative Fiction Society’s Nommo Awards were announced today in a ceremony held during Chicon 8. The Awards were hosted by Sheree Renée Thomas and presented by previous winners Chikodili Emelumadu, Wole Talabi and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016. Members of the African Speculative Fiction Society nominate the short list and then vote for the winners in each category.
The host for the Awards, Sheree Renée Thomas said of African speculative writing, “What makes African speculative writing distinctive is not just a matter of geography for in the African novel, the continent and her nations are not merely a setting to serve as an accessory to the storytelling but the people, their communities and their cultures are an essential foundation from which the writing springs.”
All of these works are speculative fiction, published between January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, and are by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines. This is the sixth year that the Nommo Awards have been given, prize money sponsored by Tom Ilube CBS. This is the first year that a panel of readers have contributed to the selection.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
T. L. Huchu
NOVEL
The Library Of The Dead by T. L. Huchu (Tor Books 2021)
NOVELLA
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor/Forge, Tordotcom, 2021)
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
All works are speculative fiction, were published between January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, and are by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines.
ASFS members will vote on the shortlist until August 31, and the winners will be announced at an online ceremony sometime this autumn.
NOVEL SHORTLIST
THEY MADE US BLOOD AND FURY by Cheryl S. Ntumy (Amazon KDP, 2021)
THE GILDED ONES by Namina Forna (Delacorte Press, 2021)
SON OF THE STORM by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Orbit US/Orbit UK, 2021)
FAR FROM THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN by Tade Thompson (Orbit Books 2021)
THE MADHOUSE by T J Benson (Masobe Books 2021)
THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD by T. L. Huchu (Tor Books 2021)
Cheryl NtumyNamina FornaSuyi Davies OkungbowaTade ThompsonT J BensonT. L. Huchu
NOVELLA SHORTLIST
THE FUTURE GOD OF LOVE by Dilman Dila (Luna Press, February 2021)
NOT SEEING IS A FLOWER by Erhu Kome (Eraserhead Press, 2021)
REMOTE CONTROL by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor/Forge, Tordotcom, 2021)
THE ABOMINATION by Nuzo Onoh (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September-October 2021)
SHORT STORY SHORTLIST
THE BROTHER by Makena Onjerika (Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World ed. Eric J Guinard; Dark Moon Books, 2021)
The African Speculative Fiction Society’s 2021 Nommo Awards Ceremony will be held this December at DisCon III, the World Science Fiction Convention.
The ASFS is the organization of African writers, artists, editors, and publishers in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and related genres.
The organization says the virtual component of the convention “means greater numbers of African writers can be part of the convention, to take part in panels, give readings and attend events of interest to them all online. Holding the Awards ceremony as part of the convention’s diversity streams will help bring African writing and comics to the attention of the international SFF fan, writing, editing and publishing communities.”
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
All works are speculative fiction, were published between January 1, 2019 – December 31 2020, and are by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines.
ASFS members will vote on the shortlist until August 31, and the winners will be announced at an online ceremony sometime this autumn.
NOVEL
Akwaeke Emezi — THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI
Nikhil Singh — CLUB DED
Stephen Embleton — SOUL SEARCHING
NOVELLA
David A. Atta — GUARDIANS: THE AWAKENING
Dilman Dila — A FLEDGLING ABIBA
Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald — IFE-IKYOKU: THE TALE OF IMADEYUNUAGBON
Tlotlo Tsamaase – THE SILENCE OF THE WILTING SKIN
Tochi Onyebuchi – RIOT BABY
SHORT STORY
Innocent Chizaram Ilo — RAT AND FINCH ARE FRIENDS
T L Huchu — CORIALIS
Tiah Marie Beautement — THE BEND OF WATER
Tlotlo Tsamaase — BEHIND OUR IRISES
Tobi Ogundiran — THE GOATKEEPER’S HARVEST
GRAPHIC NOVEL
ALEX — Anna Mbale (writer) and Mwiche Songolo (artist) – Black Hut Comics
BLACK SHEEP — Mwiche Songolo (writer & artist) – Black Hut Comics
MEANWHILE… — Quinto Collab (various writers & artists), MaThoko’s Books, an imprint of GALA Queer Archive
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
The long lists consist of all titles in their respective categories that were nominated by members of the ASFS. All works are speculative fiction, were published between January 1, 2019 – December 31 2020, and are thought to be by Africans as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines. Some of these works were nominated once, some just missed the shortlist. The ASFS lists them in full to draw attention to all the works members felt worthy of consideration.
A short list of about five works in each category will be announced in mid May and ASFS members will then vote. The winners will be announced at an online ceremony some time this autumn.
2021 NOVEL LONGLIST
Abi Daré — THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE
Akwaeke Emezi — THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI
Ben Okri — FREEDOM ARTIST
Cat Hellisen — KING OF THE HOLLOW DARK
Eugen Bacon — CLAIMING T-MO
Ilze Hugo — THE DOWN DAYS
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi — THE FIRST WOMAN
Lauren Beukes — AFTERLAND
Ngugi wa Thiong’o — THE PERFECT NINE
Nick Wood — WATER MUST FALL
Nikhil Singh — CLUB DED
Stephen Embleton — SOUL SEARCHING
Tade Thompson — THE ROSEWATER REDEMPTION
Tochi Onyebuchi — REBEL SISTERS
Yolande Horak — A TRIAL OF SPARKS AND KINDLING
2021 NOVELLA LONGLIST
Caldon Mull — FERRYMAN
Dare Segun Falowo — CONVERGENCE IN CHORUS ARCHITECTURE
Dilman Dila — A FLEDGLING ABIBA
Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald — IFE-IKYOKU: THE TALE OF IMADEYUNUAGBON
Eugen Bacon — IVORY’S STORY
Lauren Beukes — UNGIRLS
Mame Bougouma Diene – THE SATELLITE CHARMER
Moraa Gitaa – THE KIGANGO ORACLE
Tlotlo Tsamaase – THE SILENCE OF THE WILTING SKIN
Tochi Onyebuchi – RIOT BABY
2021 SHORT STORY LONGLIST
Adelehin Ijasan — THE NOT-SO-SECRET LIVES OF NIGERIAN POLITICIANS
Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga — THAT WHICH SMELLS BAD
Alvin Kathembe — THE GAME
Chinelo Onwualu — WHAT THE DEAD MAN SAID
Chinelo Onwualu — A LOVE SONG FOR HERKINAL AS COMPOSED BY ASHKERNAS AMID THE RUINS OF NEW HAVEN
Chinwe Marycynthia Okafor — THE CHRONICAL OF ANAOMA
Colin Cloud Dance — SPACE BAKIDE RIDE
Dare Segun Falowo — NGOZI UGEGBE NWA
Derek Lubangakene — FORT KWAME
Derek Lubangakene — THE CULT OF REMINISCENCE
Dilman Dila — RED_BATI
Dilman Dila — YAT MADIT
Eugen Bacon — A VISIT IN WHITE CHAPEL
Eugen Bacon — THE ONE WHO SEES
Eugen Bacon — THE ROAD TO WOOP WOOP
Eugen Bacon — STILL SHE VISITS
Innocent Chizaram Ilo — RAT AND FINCH ARE FRIENDS
John Barigye — THE RED EARTH
Mame Bougouma Diene — LEKKI LEKKI
Mandisi Nkomo — DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF CAPITALISM AND SLAVERY
Mazi Nwonwu — RAINMAKER
Moustapha Mbacké Diop — A CURSE AT MIDNIGHT
‘Pemi Aguda — THINGS BOYS DO
‘Pemi Aguda — MANIFEST
Odida Nyabundi — CLANFALL: DEATH OF KINGS
Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki — THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE
Olamide Olanrewaju — BLUELAND
Omar William Sow — IBRAHIM AND THE GREEN FISHING NET
Osahon Ize-Iyamu — TO LOOK FORWARD
Rafeeat Aliyu — WHERE THE RAIN MOTHERS ARE
Rafeeat Aliyu — THE DAEMON KING OF ENGLAND
Rafeeat Aliyu — FRUIT OF THE CALABASH
Rivers Solomon — BLOOD IS ANOTHER WORD FOR HUNGER
Sofia Samatar — FAIRY TALES FOR ROBOTS
Somto O. Ihezue — WHERE YOU GO
Tade Thompson — ORLANDA
Tariro Ndoro — THE CURE
T L Huchu — EGOLI
T L Huchu — CORIALIS
Tiah Marie Beautement — THE BEND OF WATER
Tlotlo Tsamaase — THOUGHTBOX
Tlotlo Tsamaase — RIVER OF NIGHT
Tlotlo Tsamaase — BEHIND OUR IRISES
Tobi Ogundiran — DRUMMER BOY IN A WORLD
Tobi Ogundiran — GUARDIAN OF THE GODS
Tobi Ogundiran — THE GOATKEEPER’S HARVEST
Shanice Ndlovu — A WATER HEART
Shingai Njeri Kagunda — AND THIS IS HOW TO STAY
Wole Talabi — TENDS TO ZERO
Yvette Lisa Ndlovu — RED CLOTH WHITE GIRAFFE
Yvonne Nezianya — THE WONDERS OF SPIRITS
2021 GRAPHIC NOVEL LONGLIST
ALEX — Anna Mbale (writer) and Mwiche Songolo (artist) – Black Hut Comics
BLACK SHEEP — Mwiche Songolo (writer & artist) – Black Hut Comics
MEANWHILE… — Quinto Collab (various writers & artists), MaThoko’s Books, an imprint of GALA Queer Archive
The announcement of the winners for the African Speculative Fiction Society’s 2020 Nommo Awards, which had been rescheduled out of respect for the people injured in the recent protests in Lagos and other Nigerian cities, went ahead in a virtual ceremony on October 25 with awards being presented by Tade Thompson, past winner of the Ilube Nommo Award and the Clarke Award, Chinelo Onwualu, co-founder Omenana Magazine, Mame Bougouma Diene, author and ASFS officer, and Setor Fiadzigbey, co-winner of the 2018 Nommo Award for best comic.
The 2020 Ilube Nommo Award for Best Novel
David Mogo, Godhunter by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Voting narrowly gave the victory that work over The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell.
The 2020 Nommo Award for Novella
Incompleteness Theories by Wole Talabi
This is his second Nommo Award. The novella comes from Talabi’s single-author collection Incomplete Solutions.
The 2020 Nommo Award for Short Story
[Tie]
“Tiny Bravery” by Ada Nnadi
“Sin Eater” by Chikodili Emelumadu
Both stories were published by the Nigeria-based online journal Omenana.
The 2020 Nommo Award for Graphic Novel/Comic
DANFO by Morakinyo Araoye, and Steven Akinyemi (authors) Ogim Ekpezu (artist) (TAG Comics)
The Nommo Awards were established in 2016. The roughly 200 published authors and artists who are members of the African Speculative Fiction Society first nominate and then vote for the winners. The Awards recognize work in the four categories by African creators across multiple genres including fantasy, interstitial fiction, science fiction, spiritual fiction, Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism and horror.
The Ilube Nommo Awards are named after Tom Ilube, CBE who sponsors the prize money for all four awards. This year additional funding was received via Africa Storybundle from Apex Publications and Shadreck Chikoti.
For a full listing of the short lists and winners of previous Nommos visit the ASFS website
The African Speculative Fiction Society has postponed announcing the winners of the 2020 Nommo Awards for Speculative Fiction by Africans due to the recent violence in Nigeria. The awards were scheduled to be presented October 22 at The Ake Arts & Book Festival held annually in that country, and even though the event has been taken online this year due to the pandemic, the organizers felt it would be inappropriate to proceed with the normal opening ceremonies where the awards are given.
The world has stood back in horror (or at least it should have done) at recent events in Nigeria. Out of respect for the people who’ve died, and to revise the Festival so that it deals with pressing issues, there will be no opening ceremony this evening at the Ake Festival, and thus no announcement of the winners of the 2020 Nommo awards. Some events dealing with the pressing issues will go ahead. Please check the Ake Festival website. This must have been a huge decision for the organisers, especially given all the thought and work that went into making Ake a Covid-aware online event. Thoughts to Lola Shoneyin and her staff. More news about when and where the Ake winners will be announced to follow
Taking the place of the Festival’s opening ceremonies are panel discussions such as this one:
On Oct. 3, a video surfaced online that appeared to show the point-blank killing of a Nigerian citizen by officers of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, commonly known as SARS. In the days since the video’s emergence, people across the country, young and some old, have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and call for SARS’s disbandment.
Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday that Nigeria’s security forces fired upon two large gatherings of peaceful protesters Tuesday night, killing 12 people calling for an end to police brutality.
At least 56 people have died during two weeks of widespread demonstrations against police violence, including 38 on Tuesday, the group said. The Nigerian government did not immediately comment about Amnesty International’s allegations.
The #EndSARS protests began amid calls for Nigeria’s government to close the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS, but has become a much wider demand for better governance in Nigeria.
Despite the growing violence, the Nigerian protesters defied a curfew and faced off with security forces Wednesday as gunfire rang out and fires burned in Lagos, a day after shots were fired into a crowd of demonstrators singing the country’s national anthem.
The security forces opened fire without warning on the protesters Tuesday night at the Lekki toll plaza, Amnesty said in its report, citing eyewitnesses, video footage and hospital reports.
… President Muhammadu Buhari — who has said little about the protests engulfing his country — did not mention the Lekki shootings in a statement Wednesday but issued a call for calm and vowed police reforms.
Buhari’s statement said the dissolution of the SARS unit “is the first step in a set of reform policies that will deliver a police system accountable to the Nigerian people.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday that the right of Nigerians “to protest peacefully needs to be guaranteed.”
He said “police brutality needs to stop, and those responsible for acts of such dramatic violence are made accountable.”
The Ake Arts & Book Festival is tweeting comments from writers and musicians about the crisis — several dozen messages can be read at the link.
2020 Nommo Award for Best Speculative Short Story by an African
Ada Nnadi, Tiny Bravery (Omenana)
Chikodili Emelumadu, Sin Eater (Omenana)
Deji Bryce Olukotun, Between The Dark And The Dark (Lightspeed)
Ivana Akotowaa Ofori, Principles Of Balance (Jalada)
Suyi Davies Okungbowa, The Haunting Of 13 Olúwo Street (Fireside)
Wole Talabi, When We Dream We Are Our God (Apex Magazine and All Borders Are Temporary, TrAP Magazine)
2020 Nommo Award for Best Graphic Novel/Comic by Africans
Beast From Venus by Kiprop Kimutai (author) and Salim Busuru (artist) (Avandu Vosi)
Captain South Africa by Bill Masuku (artist and author) (Enigma Comix)
Danfo by Morakinyo Araoye, and Steven Akinyemi (authors) Ogim Ekpezu (artist) (TAG Comics)
Hawi by Beserat Debebe (author) and Stanley Obende (artist) (Etan Comics)
Kami by Mika Hirwa (author and artist) (Mira Hirwa publisher)
Nani by Ziki Nelson (author) Jason Lamy (artist) (Kugali comics)
Sanu by Charles Sentongo (author and artist) Elupe Comics
Welcome To Dead World by Bill Masuku (author and art) (Sam Graphico Anthology)
The African Speculative Fiction Society, composed of professional and semiprofessional African writers, editors, publishers, graphic artists and film makers, was founded in 2016.
The Nommos were presented for the first time in 2017. The awards are named for twins from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
The winners will be announced at an online ceremony some time this autumn.