Kokouvi Dzifa Galley was born in 1980 in Togo and studied Economics at the University of Lomé. He took part in La Ruche Sony Labou Tansi 2005 in Mali. A Beaumarchais grant allowed him to take up a writing residency at La Comédie de Saint-Etienne and in Paris in 2009. Kokouvi Dzifa Galley is currently the treasurer of the Escale des Ecritures, a network of dramatic authors in Togo, and his many theatrical works have been performed in Africa, Europe and Quebec. He is also the current President of ATAILE (the Togolese Association of Authors and Illustrators of Children’s Books). A dedicated cultural presenter, he also works with young readers in several of Togo’s libraries.

His awards include Plumes Francophones 2012 for ‘Le Code’, and the Napoli Racconta 2014 (University of Naples) for La ‘Pomme de Discorde’. In 2013 he represented Togo in the 7th Jeux de la Francophonie in Nice with his novel ‘Le Testament’, and his piece ‘Requiem’ was a finalist in the 2016 Prix Théâtre RFI. He published ‘L’Oracle a parlé et autres contes du Togo’ with Editions Ponts de Lianes in Togo in 2014. As part of the ACCR’s Odyssée programme, he took part in two residencies in 2017, at the Prieuré de la Charité-sur-Loire (Cité du Mot) and at the Maison Maria Casarès.

During his 3-week residency at the Saline Royale d’Arc-et-Senans in May 2018, Galley devoted his time to working on his theatre piece ‘L’Appel’, which tells the story of twin sisters, one of whom is albino, who face marginalisation as a result of local superstitions. It is a political reflection on the place of women and people with albinism in our society, particularly the insecurity suffered by albino women.