Title: Behind the Curtain: Olufolake Adewunmi Oshin Musings of a Pilgrim
Year of Publication: 2025
Number of Pages: 122
Category: Self Help
The biggest surprise about this book is not that it is about a Honourable Justice. It is that, after a few chapters, you stop seeing her as “My Lord” and start wanting to call her Flakes, just like everyone who loves her does. And honestly, you may find yourself wondering why you didn’t meet her sooner.
That is the kind of woman Honourable Justice Olufolake Adewunmi Oshin is. Don’t let the elegant woman on the cover fool you. Behind that graceful smile is a woman who has spent a lifetime questioning rules, challenging expectations, refusing to live for public approval and saying the things most Nigerians only whisper when everyone has gone home.
She is a rebel. Not the destructive kind, but the refreshing kind, the kind who makes you sit up and ask yourself, “Wait… why am I actually living my life this way?”
From the very first pages, Flakes makes one thing clear: she is not interested in performing perfection. She wants you to meet the real woman behind the robe, the daughter from a privileged home who never pretends otherwise, the banker who became a magistrate, the magistrate who became a Honourable Justice, the church worker, the leader and, above all, a woman who eventually learnt to stop apologising for being herself.
And somehow, she tells these stories with so much energy that you barely have time to catch your breath before another one begins.
This is not one of those autobiographies where every chapter politely wraps itself up before moving on. No. Flakes keeps talking, and somehow, you keep listening. One minute you’re laughing; the next, you’re staring at the page thinking, “Did she really just say that?” Yes, she did. And she probably meant every word.
One of the most fascinating things about this book is Flakes’ self-awareness. She doesn’t blame “village people” for every setback. She owns her choices, confronts her mistakes, acknowledges her flaws and challenges you to do the same.
Many of us spend our lives following scripts written by family, culture, religion and society. We worry about what people will say, what they will think and whether our choices will make them comfortable. Flakes seems to have looked at all of that and simply asked, “But what about me?”
Then comes the question you may not be ready for: What if you simply became yourself?
Her thoughts on religion are particularly bold. At several points, you may find yourself wanting to whisper, “Flakes… maybe lower your voice a little.” She doesn’t, she keeps going.
Whether you agree with everything she says or not, you cannot accuse her of hiding behind safe conversations. She talks about faith, relationships, sex and life with remarkable openness. Sometimes you will shake your head, sometimes you will feel uncomfortable, and sometimes you may find yourself thinking, “Please don’t mention anybody’s name.” Because Flakes is that open.
There are moments when you can feel the anger behind her words, even when she insists she isn’t angry. Yet that is part of what makes the book so engaging. It feels as though she has opened the door to her life and simply said, “Come in. Let me tell you what happened.” And what a story she has to tell.
What makes it even more interesting is that she doesn’t present herself as someone who had everything figured out from the beginning. She discovered herself along the way and, when she did, chose to live fully as the woman she had become. Perhaps that is one of the biggest lessons in the book.
Somewhere between the stories, the bold opinions and the unexpected revelations, you begin to notice the wisdom. There are observations that make you stop, go back and read them again. That is the beauty of this book.
By the time you finish the book, one thing becomes impossible to ignore: This woman knows herself. And perhaps that is what makes her so fascinating. If you are the type who is always shy, second-guessing yourself, worried about offending people or constantly wondering what others will say, this book may stir something in you. But that is exactly why you should read it.
This is an undroppable book, especially if you are open-minded enough to let it challenge your thinking. You don’t have to agree with Flakes. You don’t even have to like everything about her. But you will definitely have something to think about when you close the book.
About the reviewer
Titilade Oyemade is a business executive in a leading organisation and holds a degree in Russian Language. She’s the convener of the Hangoutwithtee Ladies Event and the Publisher of Hangoutwithtee magazine. She spends her weekends attending women conferences, events and book readings. She loves to have fun and to help other women have the same in their lives. Email: [email protected] Social: @tiipreeofficial
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