The Weight of Identity - Eloghosa Osunde 

There are simple and good and straightforward and well-behaved people, I’m sure. But this book is not about them. - Eloghosa Osunde, in the opening to Vagabonds!

Osunde supplied(1)

About

Eloghosa Osunde is a Nigerian author of fiction. Since publishing their first short story “Shapes” in 2015, Osunde has received acknowledgements and awards for many of their short stories & novels.(1) Eventually leading them to release their debut book Vagabonds!, which won the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD) African Literary Award (1)

Vagabonds!

The novel’s plot, while difficult to summarize because of its nature as a short story compilation, follows the spirit guidance of Tatafo through stories taking place in the setting/character of Èkó (Lagos).  The setting of Èkó is also treated as a god or something of a guardian deity of the vagabonds of the city of Èkó, there are many instances like this where Nigerian myths and folklore are blended with raw, emotional characters, into fantastic vignettes.(2) 

The story follows many characters in about 22 stories, the only through line between them being that in one way or another, they are all labeled vagabonds by society. To highlight one of the most impactful of the stories. (3) “Grief is the Gift that Breaks the Spirit Open” follows Toju. During an operation, her spirit leaves her body. She then returns to her body feeling deeply unsettled, she detaches herself from her connections, she goes around meeting and being loved by different men. leaving them brokenhearted. Eventually she’s then enamored with a woman, Toju is unsettled by how this woman is equally as detached as her. Toju’s unease drives the two apart and leaves Toju brokenhearted in turn. (4) This story leaves with the message of how ‘vagabonds’ are not people simply escaping from societal convention, they feel unsafe within them. Love seems to offer this safety, but it can be equally harmful and uncertain.

Critical Response

  In terms of how the book has been viewed, by the sparse amount of professional reviews I could find, it would be right to say it was a very warm reception, tempered by notes about how some vignettes felt forced or the writing was about as good as one could expect for a debut piece. (1)(2)(3) The most salient point I found was made in OpenCountryMagazine’s piece on her. That there are people for which society has no good box in which to place them, no definition or identity that fits them just right. Our world goes beyond what society deems as acceptable. (1) 

Final Reflection

What I’ve read of Vagabonds! resonates with me as they did with countless others, “Grief is the Gift that Breaks the Spirit Open” spoke to the lonelier/insecure parts of myself. Listening to voices from the global south, from the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color is vital to working towards a better understanding of the issues affecting our whole world. I’ve already ordered Vagabonds! and I’m excited to explore the rest of Osunde's repertoire, and watch for whatever they do next.

 “Find from this book, what is yours and take it.” - Eloghosa Osunde, on signed copies of Vagabonds! (2)

Bibliography

1)  Chukwudera, Michael C. "The Overlapping Realisms of Eloghosa Osunde." Open Country Magazine, 28 Nov 2023. https://opencountrymag.com/the-overlapping-realisms-of-eloghosa-osunde/ Accessed 23 Sep 2026.

2)  Chukwudera, Michael C. "What is Yet Unsaid about Eloghosa Osunde and Her Novel, 'Vagabonds!'" Afrokritik, 2 May 2022. https://afrocritik.com/what-is-yet-unsaid-about-the-novel-vagabonds/  Accessed 23 Sep 2026.

3) Willie-Okafor, Paula  "Eloghosa Osunde’s Debut Novel, Vagabonds!, Follows a Host of Lagos 'Outlaws'” Open Country Magazine, 21 Aug 2021. https://opencountrymag.com/eloghosa-osundes-debut-novel-vagabonds-follows-a-host-of-lagos-outlaws/ Accessed 23 Sep 2026.

4) Osunde, Eloghosa "Grief is the Gift that Breaks the Spirit" Eloghosa Osunde's author website,  2015. https://www.eloghosaosunde.com/grief-is-the-gift-that-breaks-the-spirit-open Accessed 24 Sep 2026.