ÌṢẸ́PẸ́ by Yusuf Àlàbí Balógun Àrẹ̀mọ

In Yorùbá wisdom, the saying “Ọmọ lèrè” (a child is a parent’s reward) suggests that children are a safety net for their parents’ old age. However, in a modern world of shifting ideologies, this tradition is increasingly viewed as a form of entitlement or “black tax.”

The Story: The novel follows Ìyá Ẹ̀bùn, a widowed and aging matriarch who finds herself at war within her own bloodline. Alongside her is Olúbùnmi, a woman married into a personal storm, forced to navigate the blurred lines where love ends and crushing tradition begins.

Key Themes:

• Cultural Conflict: The tension between traditional expectations of children and modern individual autonomy.
• The Price of Silence: Addressing taboos including religion, paedophilia, and the emotional wreckage of loss.
• Motherhood & Widowhood: A raw look at the vulnerability of women within traditional family structures.