Return of Odu’a

📖 The Scoop

The Return of Odu’a captures an extraordinary tale about the strength of loyalty to a people and the power of custom and tradition, unveiling an enchanting African folktale with a savvy, trado-contemporary twist.

When a menacing danger threatens the existence of Yorubaland, resulting from a curse that had the children of Odu’a scattered to the four corners of the globe, a courageous young Poet, Lagbaja, accepts the daunting task to embark on an arduous, unpredictable journey to save the land of his fathers. But his path is littered with many riddles, puzzles, and thorns; he encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including his black horse, Serubawon, who accompanies him. 

Lagbaja must overcome these obstacles to chart the course for the children of Odu’a to find their way back home. But is he ready for that which was not in the plan?

The author, Tokunbo Ogunbanjo, fashions this primeval tale with brilliant use of language, and stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Yorubaland pantheon, and through his deft and witty prose, these characters emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

Genre: Fiction / African American / General (fancy, right?)