African SF Society Annouces Nommo Award Winners
The African Speculative Fiction Society has announced the 2020 winners for the Nommo Awards, honoring work by native African creators. To be eligible, a work must be authored by at least one African. Members of the ASFS can nominate up to five works in each category to create the long list of nominees, which gets narrowed to a short list for deciding votes. To be eligible for the long list, works had to have been published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019.
Named for Nommo, the twins from the Dogon religion of Mali frequently portrayed as a fish able to walk on land using its tail, the awards have four categories and recognize science fiction, fantasy, stories of magic and traditional belief, alternate history, horror, and other speculative fiction that may not fit a particular category.
Winners are marked in red.
Novel
- Triangulum, Masande Ntshanga (Penguin Random House South Africa/Two Dollar Radio)
- The Old Drift, Namwali Serpell (Hogarth)
- Sing Down the Stars, Nerine Dorman (Tafelberg)
- David Mogo, Godhunter, Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Abaddon)
- Rosewater Insurrection, Tade Thompson (Orbit)
- War Girls, Tochi Onyebuchi (Razorbill)
Novella
- Weatherman, Caldon Mull (self-published)
- The Border Keeper, Kerstin Hall (Tor.com Publishing)
- Incompleteness Theories, Wole Talabi (Incomplete Solutions)
Short Story
- “Tiny Bravery”, Ada Nnadi (Omenana Oct 2019)
- “Sin Eater”, Chikodili Emelumadu (Omenana May 2019)
- “Between the Dark and the Dark”, Deji Bryce Olukotun (Lightspeed Jun 2019)
- “Principles of Balance”, Ivana Akotowaa Ofori (Jalada Jun 2019)
- “The Haunting of 13 Olúwo Street“, Suyi Davies Okungbowa (Fireside Oct 2019)
- “When We Dream We Are Our God”, Wole Talabi (10 Investigations: All Borders are Temporary, Apex May 2019)
Graphic Novel
- Beast From Venus, Kiprop Kimutai and Salim Busuru (Avandu Vosi)
- Captain South Africa, Bill Masuku (Enigma Comix)
- Danfo, Morakinyo Araoye, Steven Akinyemi, Ogim Ekpezu (TAG Comics)
- Hawi, Beserat Debebe and Stanley Obende (Etan Comics)
- Kami, Mika Hirwa (Mira Hirwa)
- Nani, Ziki Nelson and Jason Lamy (Kugali Comics)
- Sanu, Ssentongo Charles (Elupe Comics)
- Welcome to Dead World, Bill Masuku (Sam Graphico Anthology)
The long list of nominees includes works that were nominated as few as once. The ASFS includes them to draw attention to works that members felt was worthy of consideration. Nominated works can be published in a professional online or print publication, blog, or by the author.
The awards were presented online October 25th by Tade Thompson, Chinelo Onwualu, Setor Fiadzigbey and Mame Bougouma Diene. The event was hosted on the YouTube channel for the Ake Arts and Book Festival.
