If you’ve ever looked at a family from the outside and thought, “Wow, these people seem to have everything figured out,” then The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives will probably make you think twice. Lol! The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin was one of those books I went into expecting a story about a polygamous Nigerian household and yes, it is definitely that but it is also so much more. The story revolves around Baba Segi, a wealthy businessman with three wives and several children. His household seems to have its own little system, with each wife having her position, personality and way of surviving. Then Bolanle enters the picture as Baba Segi’s fourth wife, and that is when everything starts getting interesting.
Bolanle is different from the other wives. She is younger, educated and comes from a completely different background. Unlike the other women, she enters the marriage for reasons that are more complicated than simply becoming another wife in a wealthy man's household. Naturally, the other wives are not exactly welcoming her with open arms.
At first, it is easy to look at the wives and think, “Okay, these women really don't like each other,” but as the story progresses, you begin to realise that there is so much more happening underneath the surface. Each woman has her own story, her own secrets as the title of the Novel suggests and her own reasons for becoming the person she is. I particularly liked how the author doesn't simply present the women as jealous rivals fighting over one man. Instead, she gives us a glimpse into the different ways women navigate a society where marriage, motherhood, status and survival can all become intertwined.
Then their is Baba Segi himself. Baba Segi is confident, proud and very much convinced that he understands his household. He believes he knows his wives, his children and his place as the head of the family but the funniest and most tragic part of the story is that he may be the person who understands his family the least. There is something almost ironic about watching a man who believes he has absolute authority slowly discover that there are entire parts of his household that exist beyond his control.
Beneath all the family drama, there are some serious themes here like jealousy, power, class, patriarchy, secrets and the lengths people can go to protect the lives they've built. The book doesn't just show us a family that has problems, it explores how those problems are shaped by social expectations, personal insecurity and the desire to maintain appearances. One of the things that surprised me most was the balance between humour and uncomfortable subject matter. There were moments where I genuinely laughed, only for the story to suddenly remind me that what is happening underneath the comedy is actually quite serious. That contrast works really well and you come to realise that honestly, some of these people needed therapy. 😂
What I found particularly interesting was how the story gradually shifts your perspective. At the beginning, you might think you understand who the villains are. Then you learn something else. Suddenly you're questioning your judgment. Then another secret comes out and you're like, “WHAT?” That is probably one of the biggest strengths of the book. It keeps peeling back the layers, slowly revealing that things are rarely as straightforward as they initially appear and by the time you understand what has really been happening inside Baba Segi's household, you realise that the title isn't just about the secret lives of the wives. It is really about the secret lives people create when they cannot openly express who they are, what they want or what they have done. Definitely a book I'd recommend if you enjoy African literature and the book is actually getting made into a movie and the trailer is out. Image source: https://www.bellanaija.com/2019/04/nnamdi-bellanaijarian-reading-hunger/
Rating: 70/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/books.
