Nigerian author, Nnedi Okorafor wins the Hugo

 Nigerian-American sci-fi and fantasy writer, Nnedi Okorafor has clinched the prestigious Hugo Award for her novella ‘Binti’, it has been announced. The Hugo Awards is the most prestigious prize for Science Fiction and Fantasy and Okorafor, author of books like ‘Akata Witch’, ‘Who Fears Death’ (2010, DAW/ Penguin), ‘Hello, Moto’ (2011, A Tor.Com Original short […]

 Nigerian-American sci-fi and fantasy writer, Nnedi Okorafor has clinched the prestigious Hugo Award for her novella ‘Binti’, it has been announced. The Hugo Awards is the most prestigious prize for Science Fiction and Fantasy and Okorafor, author of books like ‘Akata Witch’, ‘Who Fears Death’ (2010, DAW/ Penguin), ‘Hello, Moto’ (2011, A Tor.Com Original short story), ‘Kabu Kabu’ (2013, Prime Books), ‘Lagoon’ (2014, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.), and ‘The Book of Phoenix’ (2015, DAW/Penguin/ PRH) becomes the first Nigerians to win the prize.

Her win was announced at the 74th World Science Fiction Convention held in the US after ballots were cast in the Novella Category, with Okorafor’s ‘Binti’ besting ‘Penric’s Demon’ by Lois McMaster Bujold (Spectrum), ‘Slow Bullets’ by Alastair Reynolds (Tachyon), ‘Perfect State’ by Brandon Sanderson (Dragonsteel Entertainment) and ‘The Builders’ by Daniel Polansky (Tor.com). ‘Binti’ is a space odyssey about a young girl faced with leaving her family and surviving the dangerous journey to her university in the galaxy.

The Hugo Awards have been awarded since 1955 and has been voted for by members at the Worldcon. Previous winners have included George R. R. Martin, author of ‘Game of Thrones’, Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, and J. K. Rowling.