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 mischaracterised 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: “The process of writing this book provided an insightful and educational excursion into Yoruba cosmology and culture.”