When We Ruled

A beautiful retelling of the stories of African women long ignored, and attempted erasure. Paula Akpan looks at our collective ancestors and gathers their stories into one book as a hen would her precious eggs, with care and reverence. She explores, questions and offers the world a glimpse into the past. Establishing the grit of African women present, gifting a future bright.

An exciting and rich work for anyone who is curious about African history and how those traditions were destroyed, manipulated but ultimately survive in one form or another. Paula Akpan is ploughing a furrow that many will gratefully follow in the future.

It is thrilling to see a historian restoring women to their place of honour and importance. An extraordinary book - this tells more than a hidden history of Africa, more than queens and women leaders forgotten by history, this tells of women as they were as we are and as we can be. PLEASE read it!

A rich, sumptuous and beautifully written tapestry of the past that makes my heart soar and ache all at once; this is the history we should have learned in schools. I can't imagine the person I'd be today if I'd known that this is where we came from.

The tapestry of stories Akpan weaves throughout this book are rich. Complicated and pulsing with the voices of historians, storytellers, archivists and memory-holders she has communed with during her time on the continent, When We Ruled has love and care poured into every single page.

Poetic and fierce, this volume is a compelling modern-day journey into past histories of impressive African queens and leaders.

An empowering and insightful seminal work of historical significance. As a member of the Yorùbá myself, this was a powerful reminder to remember who I am and the stock of courage, power, and resilience I come from. Akpan has written a groundbreakingly brilliant book to fill a significant gap in African history and I am grateful for it.

When We Ruled is an elevation of black women to a sky-high level. We're truly blessed to have a historian of her merit in our midst, particularly at a time like this.

A searing, nourishing journey through a history the world needs