Myth, Ritual, and Visible Expressions of O?bàtálá and Olókun in Ilé-If?` is a brilliant work in religious studies and makes a significant contribution to the literature on Yoruba cosmology. Oluwafunminiyi Wasiu Raheem and Ayowole S. Elugbaju offer a thorough account of the role of sacred stories and rituals in Ilé-If?`, a city steeped in religious and philosophical significance. The authors explore and reimagine Yorùbá Traditional Religion through robust ethnographic research and meticulous observation in Ilé-If?`. This groundbreaking manuscript illuminates the history of Ilé-If?`, colonialism, and traditional beliefs and knowledge through the famous O?bàtálá festival. Using the O?bàtálá festival to interrogate questions of religious pluralism, the growth of Abrahamic religions in Africa, and modernity, the authors weave together Yorùbá Traditional Religion and history in this pioneering and well-written work. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in religious rituals, Yoruba religion, and more broadly traditional African religions.

Jacob K. Olupona, Harvard University