What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Ere àwòrán, published February 19, 2015
What’s the book’s first line?
“Potential means nothing without the realization of one’s own abilities”.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Ere àwòrán is a story of slavery, love, hope and redemption. It follows the life of Osumaka and his family who are abducted from Africa and sent into slavery. It also follows two sailors from the US who are sent to stop the slave trade in the Africa Squadron. There, the two sailors, one from the south and one from the north, clash ideologically over the issue of slavery.
Ultimately, the reality and horror of the slave trade change the mind of the sailor from the south until he too opposes slavery. Their journey is cut short, however, by the outbreak of the Civil War back home and they soon find themselves as adversaries. Osumaka, who had been enslaved on a plantation in the south escapes and enters into the underground railroad. There he meets Sarah, who is a protégé of Harriet Tubman. She introduces Osumaka to Mrs. Tubman and he joins her side in fighting for the Union.
Through out his journey, Osumaka never gives up hope that his wife and son are still alive. In the end, these powerful characters join forces to try to reunite Osumaka with his beloved family.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I initially started writing about the “Africa Squadron,” after I had watched a History Chanel special on it. I was shocked that I had never heard of it. As I stared into my research, I learned of Harriet Tubman and all of the amazing things that she did during the Civil War. I was shocked to read about how many people have criticized Harriet Tubman and her son’s claims over how many slaves were actually saved by Mrs. Tubman. I was so happy to learn that Mrs. Tubman had actually saved over 700 slaves in one single raid into Confederate territory. This one instance alone proved that the claims made by Mrs. Tubman and her son were true. Thus, I felt the need to tell the story and put to rest any questions about this amazing woman- Mrs. Tubman.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Everyone should read this book. It tells of events in a time in our nation’s history where we were more divided that we had ever been. It reveals the heroic deeds of Harriet Tubman, our nation’s actions to stop the slave trade and the story of a man abducted from his home, sent into slavery and then his journey back home Africa.