Yejide Kilanko

 It is FOR and ABOUT authors.  Here we shine the light on authors who we’ve read, reviewed and recommend to others.  In this edition we are shining our light on another gifted author…



Yejide Kilanko was born in Ibadan, a sprawling university city in south-western Nigeria. She read just about anything she could lay her hands on and that love for reading led her to poetry writing when she was twelve. It was the best way she made sense of the long, angst-filled teenage and young adult years that followed. After a big, loud, African wedding, she joined her husband in Maryland, USA. For a decade she stayed home to raise their three children, moved to Canada and went back to school to become a social worker. Yejide started writing her debut novel, Daughters Who Walk This Path, in 2009 and it was published in Canada (2012) and in the USA (2013). Prior to 2009, she didn't think she could write a novel, so she’s living proof that life can bring new dreams when least expected.


Yejide currently lives in Chatham, Ontario, where she's working hard on her second novel. Set in Nigeria and the USA, the novel, When Land Spirits Cross Big Waters, will be released in the spring of 2014.


GETTING TO KNOW YEJIDE…


What was the last film that really moved/disturbed/thrilled you and why? The last film I watched that really moved me was Sparkle. It was a reminder that no matter how much we love the people in our lives and want the best for them, they are ultimately responsible for their actions.


What characteristics do you dislike in yourself? My tendency to overanalyze situations and to sweat the little things.


When was the last time you cried laughing and why? I had listened to the Nephew Tommy "Mean Usher" prank call on YouTube. It was just hilarious.


What would be your dream vehicle? Since I'm dreaming, that would be a Mercedes-Benz SUV.


What was your favorite toy as a child? I didn’t have one. Spent most of my time playing outdoors.


McDonald's or Burger King? Burger King.


What two things are always in your refrigerator? Bread and apples.


Of all your friends, who would you want to be stuck in a well with?
I’m claustrophobic so it wouldn’t matter who’s there to hear my screams.


I'm totally addicted to: Reading.


It's 3 a.m. you wake up, can't go back to sleep. Are you reaching for the remote or the computer? The computer. I love to play online Scrabble.


PRAISE FOR DAUGHTERS WHO WALK THIS PATH

“A finely-nuanced albeit heartbreaking read, Kilanko weaves a story that is brought to life through lyrical prose, the use of thought-provoking African proverbs, and fables. It touched my soul and stayed with me long after I finished it.” – Z. Hayes

“The author's writing style is gentle, caring, and insightful. This story wrapped around you…After finishing ‘Daughters Who Walk This Path,’ I am still inspired by the women young and old and the bonds they shared. Words escape me as to how to describe the ‘wisdom’ this novel possessed. Daughters... shows the strength of a strong female community and how it empowers, molds, and shapes its daughters from the cradle to the grave. ‘Daughters Who Walk This Path’ was just an all around beautiful piece of work.” – Vernadette Barnes“‘Daughters Who Walk This Path’ is a phenomenal story and one which I didn't want to see end. I hope Ms. Kilanko will consider writing a sequel to it someday.” – Louise Jolly


“‘Daughters Who Walk This Path" is a great debut. I felt a range of emotions…I would highly recommend this book to those who can appreciate a relatable experience.” - OOSA “Yejide is a master story-teller. She sucked me in from the first page. Very apt descriptions of home for any Yoruba girl. Utterly captivating and true to life…This is an amazing work of literary fiction. Deep, with nothing off limits and as sad as it is funny. It is a complete piece of work…Highly recommended read. I look forward to her next piece of work.” – Folake Taylor


“The characters are fully realized and are people anyone might recognize or identify with, and this means that the book is all the more moving and compelling…Yejide writes very well, in language that is easy and engaging, and any reader will find themselves running the whole gamut of feelings, from laughter to tears and back, by the time the book concludes.” – Myne Whitman



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