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Lagos is a city for all... you share this place with flesh and not-flesh, and it’s just as much their city as it is yours.Èkó, the spirit of Lagos, and his loyal minion Tatafo weave trouble through the streets of Lagos and through the lives of the ‘vagabonds’ powering modern Nigeria: the queer, the displaced and the footloose.With Tatafo as our guide we meet these people in the shadows. Among them are a driver for a debauched politician; a lesbian couple whose tender relationship sheds unexpected light on their experience with underground sex work; a mother who attends a secret spiritual gathering that shifts her reality. As their lives begin to intertwine—in markets and underground clubs, in churches and hotel rooms—the vagabonds are seized and challenged by the spirits who command the city. A force is drawing them all together, but for what purpose?In her debut novel VAGABONDS! Eloghosa Osunde tackle the insidious nature of Nigerian capitalism, corruption and oppression, and offers a defiant, joyous and inventive tribute to all those for whom life itself is a form of resistance.
In a Lagos teeming with both the living and the spectral, a group of marginalized individuals known as 'vagabonds' find their lives increasingly intertwined and challenged by the city's powerful spirits. The narrative follows Tatafo, a loyal minion of Èkó (the spirit of Lagos), as he guides readers through the lives of those who navigate the city's underbelly. These include a politician's driver, a lesbian couple involved in sex work, and a mother whose reality is altered by a spiritual gathering. As their paths converge in various urban spaces, they are confronted by the city's spiritual forces, raising questions about their collective purpose and the nature of resistance against societal oppression.
The novel is celebrated for its inventive and defiant tribute to those who find life itself a form of resistance. Critics have noted its sharp critique of Nigerian capitalism, corruption, and oppression, highlighting the unique blend of magical realism and social commentary. The narrative's exploration of queer lives and marginalized communities in Lagos is often praised for its vibrancy and depth. Readers are drawn to the way the story weaves together the lives of its characters, creating a powerful collective portrait of resilience.
Page Count:
304
Publication Date:
2022-03-31
Publisher:
4th Estate
ISBN-10:
0008498024
ISBN-13:
9780008498023
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