Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon

by Wole Talabi

First published 2025

Shigidi serves as a nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, but he has grown weary of his duties. He drinks too much and grudgingly fulfills prayers from his dwindling followers just to survive another day. His existence shifts when he encounters Nneoma, a succubus who carries secrets from her long past. She offers him something he never expected: a chance to escape the bonds of his godhood. Their romance blooms as they plot their freedom, but the elder gods who control the spirit company have different plans for Shigidi. Their schemes pull the couple into a dangerous game that spans from Lagos streets to Singapore rooftops to hidden corners of London. Shigidi and Nneoma face rival deities, magical beings, and cunning sorcerers as they become entangled in a vast conspiracy. At its center lies an ambitious heist that will force Shigidi to discover who he truly is beyond his role as a god of nightmares.

Genres: mythology, african-literature, fantasy, horror

Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, romance

Setting: Lagos, London, Singapore

352 pages · Paperback · DAW Books

Content warnings: violence

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