The African Speculative Fiction Society (ASFS) announced the winners of its 7th Nommo
Awards 2024 at a celebratory ceremony held this weekend at the 82nd World Science Fiction
Convention (Worldcon) in Glasgow.
The Nommo Awards finalists and winners are nominated and voted on by ASFS members.
The ceremony brought together some of the largest names in African literature and
philanthropy. Presenting this year was host Tendai Huchu, Zimbabwean-born author and
long-time Edinburgh resident and best-selling author of The Hairdresser of Harare and the
Edinburgh Night Series; multi award-winning authors and ASFS members Suyi Davies
Okungbowa, Wole Talabi, Nnedi Okafor, and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
A special guest of this year’s ceremony was Tom Ilube CBE who gives his name to the best
novel award and has been the Nommo Awards headline sponsor since they began in 2017.
The Ilube Award for Best Speculative Fiction NOVEL by an African
Shigdi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
Published by DAW (USA) Gollancz (UK) Masobe (Nigeria)
Best Speculative Fiction NOVELLA by an African
Undulation by Stephen Embleton
Published in Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, Android Press
Best Speculative Fiction GRAPHIC NOVEL by an African – JOINT WINNERS
1) Grimm’s Assistant by Mamode Ogbewele and artist Chigozie Amadi
Published by Mode Comics
2) WindMaker Volume 1 by Roye Okupe, artist Sunkanmi Akinboye
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Best Speculative Fiction SHORT STORY by an African
“My Name is a Plea and a Prophecy” by Gabrielle Emem Harry
Published in Strange Horizons Magazine
The ASFS has a welcoming and inclusive definition of who is an African and includes
citizens of African countries; those born on the continent and raised there for substantial
periods of time or who live abroad, those who have at least one African parent, Africans
without papers, and some migrants to African countries. This year the ASFS received record
breaking nominations for the Nommo Awards and represented finalists from Nigeria, South
Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone.
The Nommo Awards takes its name inspiration from Dogon cosmology where the
Nommos take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.
