A new book, Who’s Who in the Yoruba Pantheon, written by Peju Akande, Jahman Anikulapo, and Toni Kan with illustrations by Abdulkareem Baba Aminu, has hit the shelves.
The book captures, celebrates, and hopes to re-appropriate the Yoruba Orisas who have been demonised and characterised as animist personages, especially Esu, who has been mis-characterised as the devil.
Focusing on 16 orisas, Who’s Who in the Yoruba Pantheon, attempts to define who the orisas are by focusing on their characteristics and essences while illuminating the crucial role they play as custodians of cultural ethos and beliefs. It also captures the primacy of the orisas as agents of communal and cultural cohesion.
Commenting on the book and the process that led to its production, Kan noted that “the process of writing this book provided an insightful and educational excursion into Yoruba cosmology and culture.”
On her part, Akande affirmed that “working on this book afforded me the opportunity to learn a lot about my
Yoruba culture.”
For Aminu who brought the gods to life through his illustrations, “I felt so honoured when I was asked to come on board the project because I’ve always had a keen interest in the Yoruba orisas. Most importantly, projects like this will present the orisas to a whole new generation of Nigerians and non-Nigerians, inspiring pride, restoring a sense of history and culture for the coming decades.”
Anikulapo’s comment addressed the place of the book as a contemporary guide and educational tool. His words: “Who’s Who in the Yoruba Pantheon is a significant contribution to the deepening of cultural understanding among the races of our collective humanity, in particular between Europe and Africa, which often appear far apart in terms of a racial relationship. As a father of a teenage African-German daughter, who is highly curious about African cultural and historical virtues, I appreciate the educational value of this publication, hence my gladness at contributing to the writing and production of the book.”
Who’s Who in the Yoruba Pantheon, published by Iwalewa Books is now available in bookshops.
