Image: The Guardian

Ayishat Akanbi has a forthcoming book titled, The Awokening: Clarity, Culture and Identity in the Web of Chaos. The book focuses on the controversies surrounding “wokeness.”

The book was acquired by Jenny Lord, publisher at W&N, from Borra Garson at Deborah McKenna Limited.

Here is a description of the book by it publishers:

“The digital age has birthed The Great Awokening. Grievances previously overlooked – mental illness, racism, gender identity, homophobia, the need for safe spaces – now occupy centre stage. The current cultural climate demands us to declare our standing quickly and emphatically – often without pause for understanding. Looking at how the concept of a spiritual awakening has evolved into present day ‘wokeness’ – and how it has in turn lead to further polarisation rather than unification – in THE AWOKENING, Ayishat Akanbi encourages an appeal to humanism. It is a timely and inspiring reminder of the power of curiosity and the benefits of intellectual humility, and an urge to partake in the gruelling task of developing self-awareness, such that we can become more socially aware – and aware of each other.”

In a statement by The Bookseller, Lord describes Ayishat as “one of the most exciting thinkers and writers of her generation whose book offers a path towards understanding and self-awareness.”

Ayisat spoke of her book as “the hope of returning dignity, reason, and resilience to our public discourse, I aim to provide an alternative to our culture of public shaming and moral purity. This isn’t the book I thought I was going to write, but it’s the one I most urgently needed to write.”

Ayishat Akanbi is a Nigerian-British fashion stylist, writer, and cultural commentator.

The book will be published in hardback, trade paperback, audio and e-book in August 2021. You can preorder the book here.