When I first saw this book, I was a bit skeptical because I’m not really a fan of African prose. But I think all I needed to remind me of my roots was this book. What really compelled me to pick it up was the title: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives. What were the secrets? I just had to know! With a title like that, the secrets had to be a big deal—and no kidding, they were, because the secret really choke ooo!
The book is 201 pages long, with twenty-eight chapters unraveling nerve-wracking secrets. Honestly, I thought it was a bit short because it was so good—it felt like it ended too quickly.
One of the main themes in the story was that of polygamy and marriage. It entails the truth and difficulties of marrying into polygamy. The story raises a lot of issues that the society faces such as rape, adultery and prostitution, other themes like poverty and religion was also infused into the story.
The story centers on Baba Segi, one of my favorite characters, who is a proud, uncouth, harmless, "woman wrapper". His pride comes from conquering women and getting children as his prize and also finds joy in taking good care of his wife and even better care of the children they bear.
We also delve into the life of Bolanle, the main female lead and Baba Segi’s fourth wife. Unlike the other wives, Bolanle is highly educated—which, among other things, earns her the hatred of the first and third wives, who feel threatened by her intelligence.
At first, it isn’t clear why someone as young and educated as Bolanle would marry a crude, middle-aged man with three wives. But as the story unfolds, her reasons come to light. Each wife has her own unique flaws, which help explain the decisions they've made.
There’s something about Lola Shoneyin’s narrative style and choice of words that truly brings the story to life. Her descriptions are so vivid and captivating—my sister can testify to that! She witnessed countless giggles, looks of disbelief, moments of despair, and even screams of total bewilderment from me, which sometimes earned me a good head smack!
By the end, the reader learns that the secret the wives kept from Baba Segi would completely shatter him. But he makes a comeback when he decides how things will move forward in the household.
As small as this book is, it’s packed with diverse characters and plot twists I never saw coming. Simply put, I really enjoyed it—except for the bit of tragedy at the end. The secret Baba Segi’s wives kept came at the cost of a child’s life, which was heartbreak.