Winning the Nommo has really been a wonderful experience for me. It has made me feel appreciated and seen by my peers.
As a writer, a lot of things I do as regards writing are in private. So, being recognized publicly by fellow African speculative fiction writers and readers feels like a gift that I’m enormously grateful for. I can’t thank the ASFS enough for hosting the awards and supporting African spec fic creatives every year.
– Chisom Umeh
About Tlotlo Tsamasse
Chisom Umeh is a Nigerian fiction writer and poet whose stories have appeared in Clarkesworld, Omenana, Apex Magazine, African Ghosts, and the Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction 2023.
His short story Ancestor’s Gift won the 2024 Tractor Beam Contest, and he was a finalist for the Seattle Worldcon Short Story Contest.
Nigeria sits on the western edge of Africa along the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Benin to the west, Niger to the north, Chad to the northeast, and Cameroon to the east. Often called the Giant of Africa, Nigeria is the continent’s most populous country and one of its most culturally vibrant, home to over 250 ethnic groups and hundreds of languages.
The country pulses with energy from the nonstop city life of Lagos, one of the world’s fastest-growing megacities, to the political heart of Abuja, known for its striking modern architecture.
Nigeria is the birthplace of Afrobeats, a global music movement, and Nollywood, one of the largest film industries in the world by output. Nature adds to the drama too, with landscapes shaped by the mighty Niger River, tropical rainforests, savannas, and a rich coastline. Bold, creative, and proud, Nigeria’s influence reaches far beyond its borders.
FROM ACROSS TIME
Through the lens of time, travel with this powerful story to explore power, memory, and the fragile boundaries between personal love and political history.
Excerpt: “Along the line, someone figures out time travel, so chronology protection is a big deal now. All the world’s governments have to make sure their territory’s timeline stays true to the natural chain, or risk bans and heavy sanctions… At all the strategic points in a country’s history, corps are deployed to make sure the timeline is enforced.”
