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When Alaafin Abiodun Adegolu died, the Oyo Empire was in a slow decline. The provincial chiefs who helped him defeat the tyrannical Bashorun Gaa had grown in power and the Oyo chiefs were more politicians than warriors. So, when the Oyo Mesi selected a provincial prince, Aole Arogangan to ascend the throne of his fathers, they believed they had an Alaafin they could control.

But Aole had different ideas and he sought to restore the glory of the empire and the supremacy of the Alaafin as its emperor. In this, however, his ambitions clashed with those of Afonja, the powerful provincial chief of war camp, Ilorin. Afonja had been promised the office of Aare Ona Kakanfo of all the Oyo forces by the Oyo chiefs in order to secure his support for Aole’s ascension. He would stop at nothing to take what he believed was his by right.

Afonja – The Rise is the story of how the clashes of these two men and the intrigue of the others around them transformed what was a slow decline into a race of the empire towards its collapse. In Afonja – The Rise, we tell their stories first as what they were – men and women living their lives, warring, scheming and loving in ways that will be familiar to the reader – beyond their roles as actors in the epic history of the great Oyo Empire.

A page-turning novel about the dark side of social media.

Perfect for fans of The List or How to Kill Your Family.

Anuri Chinasa has had enough. She was the unwilling star of her stepmother’s social media empire before ‘mumfluencers’ were even a thing. For years, Ophelia documented every birthday, every skinned knee, every milestone and meltdown for millions of strangers to fawn over and pick apart.

Now twenty-five years old, Anuri is desperate to escape her public past and start living on her own terms. But so far, it’s not going well. She can barely walk down the street without being recognised, her PhD application is still unfinished and her drinking problem is getting worse. She wants her stepmother out of her life, but Ophelia has made it very clear she won’t let go without a fight.

But when Ophelia starts pushing Anuri’s five-year-old sister, Noelle, down a similar path, she reaches breaking point. Anuri won’t watch history repeat itself.

Allow Me to Introduce Myself is a darkly funny, heartfelt satire about the dangers of social media and the deceptive allure of the picture-perfect existence.