Yewande Omotoso, born in 1980, is a novelist, architect, and designer based in South Africa. Born in Barbados and raised in Nigeria, she currently resides in Johannesburg. Omotoso has gained recognition for her two published novels, winning the South African Literary Award for First-Time Published Author and being shortlisted for several prestigious literary awards. She is the daughter of Nigerian writer Kole Omotoso and the sister of filmmaker Akin Omotoso.
Profile Summary
| Full Name: | Yewande Omotosho |
| Date Of Birth: | 1980 |
| Place Of Birth: | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Nationality: | Nigerian/Barbadian/South African |
| Marital Status: | N/A |
| Occupation(s): | Novelist, Architect, Designer |
| Net Worth: | N/A |
Early Life And Education
Yewande Omotoso was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and at a young age, she moved with her Barbadian mother, Nigerian father, and two older brothers to Nigeria.
She spent her formative years in Ile-Ife, Osun State, until the family relocated to South Africa in 1992 when her father accepted a position at the University of the Western Cape.
Despite living in South Africa for many years, she identifies herself as a product of three nations: Barbados, Nigeria, and South Africa, with Nigeria playing a significant role in shaping her sense of self and identity.
Pursuing her education, she studied architecture at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and later obtained a master’s degree in Creative Writing from the same institution after working as an architect for several years.
In a 2015 interview, she delved into the complexity of identity, expressing her love for being Nigerian even with the intricate nature of her multiple identities and life experiences filled with migrations.
Career
Omotoso’s first novel, Bom Boy, was released in 2011 by Modjaji Books in Cape Town. It received the 2012 South African Literary Award for First-Time Published Author and was a finalist for both the South African Sunday Times Fiction Prize and the M-Net Literary Awards 2012.
The novel was also a runner-up for the 2013 Etisalat Prize for Literature. In 2014, Omotoso was awarded an Etisalat Fellowship at the University of East Anglia.
She was named a Norman Mailer Fellow in 2013 and received a Miles Morland Scholarship in 2014.
Her second novel, The Woman Next Door, published by Chatto and Windus in 2016, was highly praised by critics. Publishers Weekly called it a “charming, touching tale” while the Irish Independent described it as “a finely observed account of female prejudice, redemption, and friendship.”
The novel was shortlisted for multiple awards, including the University of Johannesburg Prize and the Sunday Times Barry Ronge Fiction Prize. It was also longlisted for the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction and ultimately made the shortlist for the 2018 International Dublin Literary Award.
In addition to her novels, Omotoso has contributed stories and poetry to various publications and has been a featured speaker at literary festivals such as the Aké Arts and Book Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and the PEN American World Voices Festival.
She has served on the board of PEN South Africa since 2017, becoming vice president in 2019.
Outside of her literary accomplishments, Omotoso is known for her creative use of emojis, including the juju mask.
Personal Life
There is no public information available regarding the marital status of Yewande Omotoso. Despite sharing details about her family background and personal life, there is no specific mention of her marital status in the sources.
Yewande Omotosho Net Worth
The exact net worth of Yewande Omotoso is not publicly disclosed. Despite her success in the literary field and numerous accolades, specific information about her financial worth is not available to the public.
Publications
- Bom Boy (Modjaji Books, 2011)
- The Woman Next Door (Chatto and Windus, 2016)
- An Unusual Grief (Cassava Republic Press, 2022)
