A captivating and provocative tale…
Set in the sixteenth-century West African city of Idumagbo, Olajide weaves a compelling fictionalized retelling of history, taking readers on one man’s exhilarating journey from being a common man to the ruler of the city. There’s an epidemic striking the land, and no one knows how it’s transmitted or how to treat it. Adeolu, a peasant artist and a wise medicine man, sets on to find a cure much to the displeasure of Sango, the royal medicine man and King Abiodun’s right hand man. A conspiracy follows and Adeolu is accused of treachery. Meanwhile, Adeolu’s grandmother Keniola who once was queen in Idumagbo but was kidnapped and sold into slavery, returns and helps Adeolu takes command as the new ruler of the city, which is divided by religion and values. The Maradian king Bashir’s attack on Idumagbo mends the broken ties between the people but will they be able to defend their city? The story with a wide array of African names and commonly used slangs demands careful reading on readers’ part, particularly for readers not familiar with the African culture. Olajide’s prose is rich in detail, and it is through his female protagonists that Olajide examines the arbitrary division between genders and the long-accepted social prejudices and injustices against women in the society. Olajide sketches his characters with credibility and depth, and readers will find themselves completely immersed in Adeolu’s story. Timely and compelling, this carefully crafted tale is sure to impress. Readers of multicultural literary fiction will be rewarded.