The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) has expressed condolences to the President and members of the Togolese Writers Association over the death of renowned Togolese writer, playwright and author of children’s literature, Koffi Gomez.
Gomez, who was born on February 28, 1941, in Lomé, Togo, died in the same city on September 22, 2026, at the age of 85.
He was also known by his literary pseudonym, Gemzo Kiffo, and gained widespread recognition following the publication of his novel Opération marigot, which won the Eyadéma Literary Prize in 1986.
The Pan African Writers Association described Gomez as an important figure in Togo’s literary and cultural landscape, whose works reflected the country’s socio-political realities and social transformations.
In November 2025, during the celebration of International African Writers’ Day organised in Lomé by the Togolese Writers Association, Gomez was honoured for his distinguished contribution to the Togolese cultural scene.
Beyond his literary career, Gomez had an academic background in geography. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in tropical geography in 1968 and a master’s degree in geomorphology in 1969 from the University of Dakar.
He began his professional career as a teacher, working in Côte d’Ivoire between 1969 and 1972 and subsequently in Gabon from 1973 to 1974.
Upon returning to Togo in 1974, he joined the civil service, where he worked as an administrator in the Directorate General of Planning and Development.
According to PAWA, Gomez’s literary works were deeply rooted in the Togolese socio-political environment of the 1970s and 1980s, a period characterised by rural development policies, cultural changes and social tensions.
His writings explored issues including corruption, administrative abuses, social crises, governance, rural development and the tensions between traditional values and modernity.
In 2008, he resumed publishing under the pseudonym Gemzo Kiffo, including the re-release of his play Gaglo ou l’Argent cette peste.
Throughout his career, Gomez wrote novels, plays and books for young readers. His works were noted for their social and critical dimensions, often portraying the political and moral realities of Togolese society.
His acclaimed novel Opération marigot has also attracted academic attention, particularly among scholars examining the representation of social unrest and development strategies in Togolese literature.
PAWA extended its condolences to the Togolese Writers Association, the Togolese literary community and the family of the late writer, praying for the repose of his soul.
