Masobe Books Acquires Olukorede S. Yishau’s New Novel Black Market

Leading independent African publisher Masobe Books has acquired Black Market, the third novel and fifth book by Nigerian journalist and author Olukorede S. Yishau. The novel is scheduled for release in September 2026.

Black Market follows the lives of two Nigerian couples living in Texas, US: Eyitayo and Yewande, and Tobi and Bukola. The story explores a common belief within immigrant communities—that returning home to choose a spouse can prevent marital challenges.

Through the experiences of these couples, the novel examines themes such as identity, loneliness, betrayal, ambition, emotional abuse, and cultural expectations. It also considers the pressures associated with pursuing opportunities abroad and questions whether relationship difficulties are often attributed to location rather than personal compatibility.

The narrative focuses on how these dynamics affect the characters’ relationships over time.

Masobe Books founder, Othuke Ominiabohs, described the novel as a significant addition to its growing catalogue of contemporary African fiction.

“We are delighted to bring this important work to readers,” Ominiabohs said.

Founded in 2018, Masobe Books has emerged as one of Africa’s most influential independent publishing houses. The company has built a reputation for discovering and publishing outstanding African voices while investing heavily in editing, design, marketing and distribution.

Since its establishment, Masobe has published more than 200 African writers and has become home to numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning books, earning recognition as one of the continent’s leading literary publishers. Its mission—to make exceptional African stories accessible to readers across the continent and beyond—has helped redefine contemporary publishing in Nigeria.

For Yishau, Black Market marks another milestone in a literary career that continues to attract critical acclaim. An award-winning journalist, editor and novelist, he is the author of In the Name of Our Father (2018), which was longlisted for the 2021 Nigeria Prize for Literature and has become the subject of academic studies in Nigerian universities, and After the End (2024), a critically acclaimed novel also published by Masobe Books.

He is also the author of a collection of short stories, Vaults of Secrets (2020) and a collection of travel writings, United Countries of America and Other Travel Tales (2022).

Beyond fiction, Yishau has distinguished himself in journalism, winning multiple Nigeria Media Merit Awards across diverse reporting categories, including Columnist of the Year, while building a reputation as one of Nigeria’s finest editors and literary voices.

Unlike conventional diaspora narratives that focus primarily on relocation and cultural adjustment, Black Market turns its attention inward, examining relationships shaped by expectations carried across continents.

Set largely in Texas, the novel portrays the emotional negotiations that occur when tradition meets modernity and when marriages become battlegrounds for competing dreams, unresolved traumas and shifting identities.

Readers can expect Yishau’s trademark storytelling: layered characters, elegant prose, moral complexity and an unflinching willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about family, faith, power and the choices people make in pursuit of happiness.
The acquisition reinforces Masobe Books’ commitment to publishing stories that reflect contemporary African realities while resonating with global audiences. Over the past few years, the publisher has established itself as a leading force in African publishing, championing original voices and expanding the reach of African literature beyond the continent.

Black Market will be available in bookstores and on major retail platforms beginning September 29, 2026.