Belonging: A Genealogy of the Akinyemi Family Through Six Generations

Belonging: A Genealogy of the Akinyemi Family Through Six Generations by Dr. John Ayoola Akinyemi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Legacy Rooted in Love and Memory...

Not only is Dr. John Ayoola Akinyemi's book Belonging about family history, it's also a journey through time, memory, and meaning that will make you think. This isn't your usual genealogical record full of dates and boring facts. It covers six generations of the Akinyemi family. It's a living, breathing tapestry of migration, identity, strength, and love—part memoir, part cultural tribute.

The story starts in Totoro, Abeokuta, which is more than just a place on a map; it's a heartbeat. From there, it echoes across Nigeria, the UK, South Africa, and the US. Akinyemi doesn't just follow footsteps; he captures moments: the quiet of a funeral hymn, the wisdom in a Yoruba proverb, the warmth of Sunday sermons, and the flicker of memory in an old photo. These are the things that hold a family and a group of people together.

Belonging sounds less like a history book and more like something that is whispered around a fire and passed down carefully. There is academic insight, but there is also real, raw, and reflective emotion. Akinyemi writes about his ancestors in a way that is so loving that you can almost hear them speak. He does this to remind us that identity is not only passed down, but also remembered, cared for, and sometimes taken back.

This book is a beautiful tribute to the legacy of diaspora and a strong reminder of what it means to belong, not just to a place but also to a story. Very highly recommended.

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