They Made the Devil Black

They took a divine messenger — the sacred guardian of the crossroads, the opener of the way — and taught the world to call him the Devil. This is how it happened, and this is the truth they buried.

In the Yoruba tradition, Eshu (Èṣù, Elegba) is one of the most essential of all the Orisha: the divine messenger who carries prayers between humanity and the gods, the guardian of the crossroads, the opener and closer of every doorway, the trickster whose wisdom keeps the cosmos in balance. Nothing in Ifa can begin without him. Yet when colonial religion came to Africa and the diaspora, it did something unforgivable: it took this sacred figure and recast him as Satan — making the Devil Black, and teaching millions to fear the very spirit their ancestors revered.

In They Made the Devil Black, #1 bestselling author Ajarn Shaman Shu (Oluwo Jolaoso Osainbola) uncovers the hidden history of Eshu — restoring the truth of who he really is, and exposing how and why he was demonized.

Inside you'll discover:



Who Eshu truly is — the Yoruba Orisha of the crossroads, messages, and divine will

His sacred roles: guardian of the crossroads, divine messenger, opener of the way

How colonial religion recast an African god as the Devil — and why

The deep antiquity of Eshu and his place at the roots of the sacred

What was lost when the messenger was demonized — and what is reclaimed by knowing him

Honoring Eshu — the offerings, symbols, and practices of his tradition

Part of the acclaimed Spiritual Reparations Series, this is an act of reclamation — restoring a sacred African deity from centuries of distortion, and returning him to his rightful place.

Guardian of the crossroads. Divine messenger. Not the Devil. This is the hidden history of Eshu.



OrishaUniversity.com and these books represent the restoration of what was taken from our people. The 256 Odu of Ifa are the original operating system of human consciousness. Oluwo Jolaoso Osainbola has done what many generations prayed would one day be done. My full endorsement and blessing from Ile-Ife, the source of all.

— Araba Agbaye, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Àṣẹ.