Ani Kayode Somtochukwu

Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
Ani Kayode Somtochukwu during the EndSARS, 2020
Born1999 or 2000 (age 26–27)[1]
Alma materEnugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT)
OccupationWriter
Known forAnd Then He Sang a Lullaby (2023)
AwardsEdmund White Award (2024)

Ani Kayode Somtochukwu (born 1999 or 2000) is a Nigerian novelist, known for his 2023 debut novel, And Then He Sang a Lullaby,[1] which won the Edmund White Award in 2024.[2]

Early life and education

Ani attended Command Children's School Awkunanaw in Enugu before proceeding to Union Secondary School. Following his primary and secondary education, he enrolled at Enugu State University of Science and Technology shortly after the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act was signed into law in Nigeria,[3] from where he graduated with an Honours degree in Applied Biology and Biotechnology.[4]

Personal life

He has been active as a writer since 2015. Ani has spoken about experiencing bullying from an early age because he was perceived as effeminate. He identifies as queer.[3]

Career

Ani began writing his debut novel, And Then He Sang a Lullaby, in 2018 and published it in 2023. Describing the novel, Grove Atlantic called it "searing and resonant," noting its exploration of the costs of love and freedom in a homophobic society.[5] According to Ani, he first drafted the novel in a notebook before typing it on his phone, as the cost of having it typed by a professional was prohibitive.[4]

Before its publication, Ani's debut novel won the inaugural James Currey Prize[6] in 2021. The prize was established by Onyeka Nwelue.[7] His writings have appeared in literary magazines and anthologies across Africa, Europe, Asia and North America.[8][9][10][11][12]

Advocacy

He founded the Queer Union for Economic and Social Transformation (QUEST).[13] In 2022, he led what has been described as the first openly LGBTQ+ protest in Abuja.[14][15] The protest was organized in response to a proposed bill that sought to ban cross-dressing in Nigeria. Ani in an interview with The Pink News expressed concerns about the potential consequences of the legislation, arguing that its passage could endanger gender-nonconforming and LGBTQ+ people.[16]

He believes that queer liberation is the only sustainable solution to the unhappiness of queer people.[17]

Awards and honours

  • 2020 Nigeria Prize for Difference and Diversity[18][19]
  • 2021 James Currey Prize for African Literature - WON[7]
  • Summer/Fall 2023 Indies Introduce selection[20]
  • 2023 Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Prose Prize - SHORTLIST[21]
  • 2023 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Debut Fiction - NOMINEE[22]
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Award (Literary Fiction)[23]
  • 2023 Brittle Paper: The Notable African Books of the Year[24]
  • 2024 Edmund White Award for debut fiction - WON[2]

Bibliography

Novels

—— (2023). And Then He Sang A Lullaby (1st ed.). Roxane Gay Book. ISBN 9781804710180.

Essays

References

  1. 1 2 Harris, Elizabeth A. (2023-06-05). "A 'Lucky Child' Writes His Way From Nigeria to the Global Stage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  2. 1 2 "The Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction". The Publishing Triangle. Archived from the original on 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  3. 1 2 "A Short Talk With Ani Kayode Somtochukwu". Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  4. 1 2 Cole, Timinepre (2022-04-14). "Ani Kayode Dreams an Ideological World for Queer folks in his Debut Novel - And Then He Sang A Lullaby". The Rustin Times. Archived from the original on 2025-04-18. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  5. ↑ "And Then He Sang a Lullaby". Grove Atlantic. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  6. ↑ "News Details". literaturecurry.com. Archived from the original on 2026-01-14. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  7. 1 2 Murua, James (2021-09-06). "Ani Kayode Somtochukwu is first James Currey Prize for African Literature winner". Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  8. ↑ "Kayode Ani". Ake Arts and Books Festival. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  9. ↑ "Ani Kayode". www.afeelgoodbook.com. Archived from the original on 2024-12-08. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  10. ↑ "A Shrewdness of Apes | Ani Kayode Somtochukwu". Isele Magazine. 2026-04-30. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  11. ↑ "Ani Kayode Somtochukwu on And Then He Sang a Lullaby with Roxane Gay". The Center for Fiction. Archived from the original on 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  12. ↑ Somtochukwu, Ani Kayode (2025-05-11). "'Writers Have the Obligation of Imagining the Future That Must Be Achieved'". The Republic. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  13. ↑ "LGBTQ+ Nigerians Are Celebrating Pride Month in Defiance of Anti-Gay Law". Global Citizen. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  14. ↑ EditorialBoard (2022-05-07). "Queer Lives Matter". Socialist Workers League. Archived from the original on 2025-10-06. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  15. ↑ Stewart, Colin (2022-05-05). "Queer Nigerians protest proposed anti-trans 'cross-dressing' ban". Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  16. ↑ Kelleher, Patrick (2022-05-03). "Queer Nigerians stage defiant protest as government tries to ban 'crossdressing'". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Archived from the original on 2026-03-26. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  17. ↑ Mintrose, Adebayo Quadry-Adekanbi, Marcie (2023-08-12). ""Queer liberation is the only sustainable solution": A conversation with Ani Kayode Somtochukwu". Shado Magazine. Retrieved 2026-06-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ BellaNaija.com (2020-10-10). "From Queer Rights to Gender Activists, Here are finalists for The Nigeria Prize for Difference & Diversity". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  19. ↑ minorityafrica.co (2020-07-01). "The Nigeria Prize for Difference and Diversity launches today - Minority Africa". Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  20. ↑ "An Indies Introduce Q&A with Ani Kayode Somtochukwu". the American Booksellers Association. 2023-05-31. Archived from the original on 2025-02-08. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  21. ↑ "History | Association of Nigerian Authors". ananigeria.org. Archived from the original on 2026-05-08. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  22. ↑ "Ani Kayode | Author | LibraryThing". LibraryThing.com. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  23. ↑ "2023 Foreword INDIES Winners in Literary (Adult Fiction)". www.forewordreviews.com. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
  24. ↑ "Announcing Brittle Paper's 100 Notable African Books of 2023!". Brittle Paper. 2023-11-30. Retrieved 2026-06-03.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.