The winners of the Nommo Awards 2022 were at Chicon8, the World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago, USA on September 1, 2022.
The African Speculative Fiction Society introduced The Nommo Awards to celebrate writing known in other markets as magical realism, Sci-Fi, horror, and graphic novels in 2016. Since then, writers from across the African literary family have been feted with these awards in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The shortlists for the 2022 edition were presented in the categories of Novels, Novellas, Graphic Novels, and Short Story on May 17. The winners were revealed at the Chicon8, the World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago, USA. They were hosted by Sheree Renée Thomas and presented by previous winners Chikodili Emelumadu, Wole Talabi, and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
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. ‘
Those who won in their categories are;
The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African
- T. L. Huchu, The Library of the Dead (Tor Books, 2021)
Nommo Award for Best Novella 2022
- Nnedi Okorafor, Remote Control (Tor/Forge, Tordotcom, 2021)
Nommo Award for Best Graphic Novel or Comic 2022
- Roye Okupe (creator/writer), Godwin Akpan (illustrator), Iyanu: Child of Wonder Vol 2 (YouNeek Studios and Dark Horse Comics, 2021)
Nommo Award for Best Short Story 2022
- Pemi Aguda, Masquerade Season (tor.com, March 2021)
Nnedi Okorafor reacted with the Tweet, My novella REMOTE CONTROL has won the Nommo Award for Best Novella, 🥳! The Nommo Awards are the premier awards for speculative fiction by Africans. They are given by the @africansfs .”
Watch the ceremony in full below;
