The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives

May 05, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-mt-bookpile

The four wives' tales intertwine with that of Baba Segi, a Nigerian with four wives. The problem is that the fourth wife, Bolanle, has not conceived a child in two years of marriage, thus setting in motion the unraveling of the lives of everyone in the house. The way in which this family lives will feel different, but having "Big Love" and "Sister Wives" on tv as well as a flood of Mormon polygamist books means that this isn't completely foreign.

Jumping from character to character, we learn the...more

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Jul 04, 2010 Susie Gaines rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book blew me away. I never thought I'd be interested in a book about Africa; it's usually not my thing. The novel had me hooked after the first page. The language is mesmerising and it was refreshing to read what English sounds like when it has an African feel.

The novel is about a polygamous family that is about to implode but doesn't know it. The newest wife fails to conceive and after two years, the patriarch, Baba Segi, takes her (Bolanle) to a hospital. This is where everything starts t...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Anne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: indian-fiction

Ok but there are some problems if you aren't into "eastern" literature. A very tenuous sense of place (absolutely no real sense of Nigeria - could have happened in Pakistan!) and appears to be written reflecting "western" sensibilities and context. Did nothing to positively and evocatively demonstrate values within an "eastern" context (which I have absolutely loved in other post colonial lit. Made me visit India twice). Bit sensationalist underpinned by a didactic message. I like eastern lit so...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Sterlingcindysu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-first-wins-reviews

Thanks to William Morrow for a copy!

Poor Baba Segi. I always feel sorry for men who have to handle alot of women in their lives and he's no exception. The women aren't portrayed as warm, loving, caring people. Baba=father. His fourth wife is someone who went to college, and just like Barb in Big Love, you wonder why an educated woman would agree to that. She actually (unknowingly) undoes the secrets of the other wives, yet it's because they don't trust her that she undoes them. Unusual setting,...more

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Jun 17, 2013 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

My friend who is living now in Lagos and I were exchanging book recommendations; most of mine would be by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who I started reading thanks to a book club, and whose books I now buy as soon as they come out in paperback, sometimes even hardback; I enjoy her writing so much.

My friend recommended The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives - sounds kind of like one of those sweet #1 Ladies Detective novels by Alexander McCall, doesn't it? I ordered it immediately and dove in.

Whoa! th...more My friend who is living now in Lagos and I were exchanging book recommendations; most of mine would be by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who I started reading thanks to a book club, and whose books I now buy as soon as they come out in paperback, sometimes even hardback; I enjoy her writing so much.

My friend recommended The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives - sounds kind of like one of those sweet #1 Ladies Detective novels by Alexander McCall, doesn't it? I ordered it immediately and dove in.

Whoa! this is not Alexander McCall, this is not Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; she would be the Scott Fitzgerald and Shoneyin would be the Faulkner. This is the Nigerian struggling-into-the-middle-class, the many wives Nigerians, and from the beginning, it is a much darker and edgier way of seeing Nigeria. People are dirtier, plots are nastier and deaths are cruel.

The problem begins when a new wife comes into Baba Segi's family, an educated wife. She doesn't put on airs; she creates a problem simply by being there. Two of the other wives are threatened and detest her from the beginning, but Bolanle gives them little cause for their hatred. She is kind, kind to the wives, kind to the children.

We learn about each wife, how she came to be one of Baba Segi's wives, and we learn about Baba Segi and his beginnings in the country village. It's alien, it is a very different culture. People talk roughly to one another, and very directly. There were references to foods of which I have never heard. There are things that happen that I don't understand, but I suspect they make sense in a cultural context.

And at the same time, you will notice I gave it five stars. The strangeness does not put me off; there is much that is familiar. When we visit the hospital, I remember the hospital's I visited in Tunis, many years ago, with the same plainness, and the same conscientious doctors trying to do the best they can with limited resources. I remember how even a different cooking oil can change the entire flavor of a dish, and I loved one reference to Joffo rice, which my husband recently made from a recipe in a newspaper he found. I felt like a mouse in the corner at Baba Segi's house; I felt like I understood better how things work behind those compound walls in a family with four wives under one roof in Nigeria. My friend made a good recommendation :-)(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-to-z-title-challenge

The content of this book was very interesting and the plot was a great one. The overall story told was of great interest to me and I found it a very good novel. There were some things I did not care for in the writing however. One of which was the way the author seemed to jump from one characters perspective/view to another without really saying who was talking. In one chapter it was clearly a “narrator” view of things happening in the book, but then the next chapter was using “I” and “me” views...more The content of this book was very interesting and the plot was a great one. The overall story told was of great interest to me and I found it a very good novel. There were some things I did not care for in the writing however. One of which was the way the author seemed to jump from one characters perspective/view to another without really saying who was talking. In one chapter it was clearly a “narrator” view of things happening in the book, but then the next chapter was using “I” and “me” views without really telling who was telling the information. Due to this I found it a bit confusing at times to have to figure out by the content who it was that the view was coming from. Also, things seemed to jump around from past to present to past to present a lot in some chapters. I found myself having to re-read some parts just to figure out who’s point of view I was reading or if the content was meant to be the present or of a flash back.

This book tells of a polygamists household that has just added a new wife, wife number four. The first three wives are less than excited about this new change and do everything in their powers to make the new bride leave or be banished by the husband. They also refuse to let the new wife have anything to do with any of their children (all seven of them).

I will say that a LOT happens in the 280 pages of this book. You also learn a lot about the characters and their past and present lives. Two of the wives think that they will get rid of the fourth wife, even if it means going to extremes. They plot to kill her using snake poison in her food, which she always eats alone in her room. This plan may seem like a great one, but it severely backfires on them. They hate the new wife for many reasons, some of which are having to share Baba’s attention more, having to share the house/money more, and that Bolanle is an educated woman (whereas they are not).

A big part of the book is how the fourth wife, Bolanle, is unable to get pregnant by her new husband. He decides to take the problem to an educated source, a hospital, to find out why she will not bare his child after years of trying. The doctor does many tests on Bolanle and asks many questions. Some of the answers she gives are quite disturbing to Baba. Once concluding the issues with Bolanle the doctors want to look into Baba’s “seed” to see if he is also still in good condition to make a child grow. Baba is outraged by this, being that he has seven other children already, but does it just to show Bolanle that it is her that is the issue.

This book is full of twists and turns and unexpected issues. I really did enjoy the plot itself. It shows just how strong a family can be no matter what the size of it its. All in all I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
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Sep 11, 2011 Lisarenee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Notes: Not a book for kids. Sex is openly discussed although not in great detail. Language used which some may find offensive.

Bolanle has decided to become the fourth wife of Baba Segi, a wealthy Nigerian business owner. Some may think she married him for his money, but that's not it. It is hinted that something happened to Bolanle to change her whole perspective and personality at the beginning of the book. As the story unfolds, her secret will be revealed. Hers, however, is not the only secret...more Notes: Not a book for kids. Sex is openly discussed although not in great detail. Language used which some may find offensive.

Bolanle has decided to become the fourth wife of Baba Segi, a wealthy Nigerian business owner. Some may think she married him for his money, but that's not it. It is hinted that something happened to Bolanle to change her whole perspective and personality at the beginning of the book. As the story unfolds, her secret will be revealed. Hers, however, is not the only secret that is being kept. The other wives have a secret of their own, and by not revealing it to Bolanle, it will be uncovered, and it will change Baba Segi's household forever.

This is truly a book about Bolanle and her journey to find peace with herself and the world. I like how the book came full circle beginning and ending with her story. She did not expect to be welcomed with open arms by the other wives, but she didn't expect to be hated either. This book takes a close look into the taboo topic of polygamy, and looks at some of the problems associated with it. It delves into those basic human emotions of jealousy and hate. The book takes a look at the lives of each of the three wives from their own perspective, and reveals how each of their paths led them to their current place in Baba Segi's household. We get a look at some of the injustices that are suffered from a society where women aren't always held in high regard. As secrets are revealed and tragedy strikes Bolanle grows and deals with what happened to her so many years ago. I gave this one 3 out of 5 roses.

I should mention I got this book from the wonderful publisher, William Morrow. They provided me and five members of my Goodreads Group, Nothing but Reading Challenges, copies via a giveaway. It is one of our August Books of the Month. If you'd like to join us in our discussion of the book we'll probably be starting later this week. Thank you William Morrow. Here is a link to the group discussion: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/6...
I should also apologize because I thought I'd posted this review last month, but while looking through my booklist today I realized it wasn't among my reviews. I'm not sure what happened, but I'll be double checking to make sure all my reviews get posted. (less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Deb Carpenter rated it 3 of 5 stars

What secret could Iya Segi, Baba Segi’s first wife, possibly have? What about his second wife, Iya Tope? What is she hiding? Could Iya Femi, wife number three, also have a secret? If so, what is it?

Why is the childlessness of wife number four a threat to the others? Does the fact that she’s a college graduate have anything to do with the threat? What lengths will the first three wives go to, to rid Baba Segi’s household of her?

Lola Shoneyin’s novel, “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives,” which...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a Western woman who believes in monogamy, I wasn’t sure this tale of Nigerian women in a polygamous marriage would have anything to say to me. Still, once I read the first paragraph, it was nearly impossible to put the tale of “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives” down. Truly, author Lola Shoneyin has not just given us a glimpse inside the family life of Baba Segi and his four wives, but also a universal tale of secrets, compromises, and human interactions.

The story centers on the dynamic o...more As a Western woman who believes in monogamy, I wasn’t sure this tale of Nigerian women in a polygamous marriage would have anything to say to me. Still, once I read the first paragraph, it was nearly impossible to put the tale of “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives” down. Truly, author Lola Shoneyin has not just given us a glimpse inside the family life of Baba Segi and his four wives, but also a universal tale of secrets, compromises, and human interactions.

The story centers on the dynamic of Babi Segi’s family. This patriarch supports three wives and seven children, but still he wants more. When a well-educated young woman drops by his business one day with a friend, his desire for a fourth wife is clear. But just what does Bolanle (the fourth wife) have to gain by entering this already crowded household?

The answer to that question, along with the relationships among family members are the heart and soul of this powerful work. There’s intrigue and jealousy, motherly love and wandering eyes, superstition and college smarts. In short, this novel is amazingly insightful about relationships and the choices people make with their lives.

Although the story centers on four women struggling within a single family, this could just have easily been four women working together in an office or four childhood friends who’ve grown up together. How the women interact, the decisions they make, the force of personality (or lack thereof)…these are the crux of the storyline.

The book does offer those of us in the West new insights about life in Nigeria, but that isn’t the reason to read this book necessarily. This is a story of how people treat each other and themselves, whether in a relationship, in a family dynamic, or just carving out their life path. It offers plenty of food for thought, no matter which country you live in or how you define marriage.

The characters who populate this story are women and men you know, and their feelings and decisions about life are those familiar to us all. Should we extend a helping hand or should we guard against the unknown? What happens when we experience a devastating experience, and how do we overcome it? How do our life experiences change the people we are? These topics and many more are the subject of Lola Shoneyin’s book, a book well worth reading!(less)

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Nov 02, 2010 J rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 05, 2010 Felice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Polygamy is one of those things that has that train wreck fascination/repulsion factor for most people. It's a guaranteed ratings booster for news programs and chat shows. Right up there with the long lost family dog who reappears just in time to save baby Lucy from drowning in the pond out back. There are tons of nonfiction books available about escaped wives, daughters forced to marry elders and founding and history of various groups that advocate having multiple wives but how is polygamy doin...more Polygamy is one of those things that has that train wreck fascination/repulsion factor for most people. It's a guaranteed ratings booster for news programs and chat shows. Right up there with the long lost family dog who reappears just in time to save baby Lucy from drowning in the pond out back. There are tons of nonfiction books available about escaped wives, daughters forced to marry elders and founding and history of various groups that advocate having multiple wives but how is polygamy doing in fiction? Is it becoming the hot new fiction sub-genre? There was The 19th Wife a couple years ago and both The Lonely Polygamist and The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives a few months ago. Three titles on one subject might not seem like enough of a trend to you to turn that subject into a hot topic in publishing but it was the first time in my 30+ years in bookselling that I remember 3 fiction titles with polygamy at their core coming out within such a short span of time. These titles were well reviewed enough and sold well enough to get your polygamy novel moved a little higher in the to be read manuscript pile but they weren't the breakout bestsellers that creates a place on every publisher's list for a novel on that topic.

Is there a lesson here? Um...yeah. Add a character to that crime novel set in Scandinavia that you are writing that is living with wives 1,2 and 3. Hey! Maybe your detective should have many un-divorced from wives but of course still be lonely and tortured. I am officially declaring copyright on this idea. It could be genius.

The one polygamy novel that I have read is The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives. It is a first novel written by Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyin. Secret Lives is a contemporary story of a successful Nigerian businessman. Baba Segi has four wives and seven children. They are the proof of his virility and prosperity. Until wife number four, Bolanle, entered the household things were apparently running smoothly for the Segi family. Bolanle's university education, youth, beauty and inability to conceive has set her apart from the other wives. This change in the family sets events in motion that bring disastrous consequences.

Nigeria adds an otherness (to small town U.S.A. me) to the story that made polygamy somehow more acceptable. It became more of a flamboyant excess rather than something immediately stomache turning, although that did come later. It was another unique element in the book set in an exotic land. That enabled me to better enjoy the subtleties that Shoneyin brings to the marriage dynamic and makes more startling the violent episodes in the story. All of the wives entered the marriage for different reasons and they all bring a different power to their role in the group. Shoneyin shifts the telling of the story around to each of the wives, Baba and even his driver. The wives histories and how they ended up in a polygamous home were very interesting--especially when seen though various points of view.

With The Secret Lives of Baba Seg' Wives we get a view of a small part of Nigerian society as well as learn more about Nigeria in general. That is something almost completely missing from our literary buffet in this country. Shoneyin has produced a well thought out and effective novel with vigorous characters. She is a novelist to watch and look forward to.

And. This would be an excellent book club choice.(less)

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Aug 20, 2010 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature-fiction

Baba Segi is a chubby, worthless but successful middle-aged man. His appetite for food, woman and sex are insatiable and is head of a house full of four wives: Iya Segi, Iya Tope, Iya Femi and Bolanle. Each wife has her own quirky personality: Iya Segi was Baba’s first wife who wields her power over the other wives, was malicious and would stop at nothing to preserve her position as the favoured wife and ruler of Baba Segi’s home; Iya Tope was Baba’s second wife who was bashful and timid. She wa...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-african-diaspora-challenge, 2010-global-reading-challenge, 2010-new-author-s-challenge, africa

This is the first novel by Lola Shoneyin. i was interested in reading this book because the author has published poetry in the past and in my experience this actually prepares writers for telling their stories in a succient manner, and her father-in-law is Wole Soyinka, so I figured she has access to good literary resources to make sure that she wrote a worthy book. But, I did think that initial storyline sounded a little predictable - a man who has three wives takes an educated fourth wife that...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Trishnyc rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2011

After two years of marriage, Baba Segi cannot understand why his newest wife, Bolanle, has not had a child. After all his three other wives have multiple children between them, so he wonders why Bolanle cannot make him proud and produce a child. He tries to take her to the local voodoo priests or any charismatic religious leaders he may heard of but she refuses to go calling them charlatans. Finally he decides to appeal to her educated mind and mandates that she sees a doctor.

Bolanle's arrival i...more After two years of marriage, Baba Segi cannot understand why his newest wife, Bolanle, has not had a child. After all his three other wives have multiple children between them, so he wonders why Bolanle cannot make him proud and produce a child. He tries to take her to the local voodoo priests or any charismatic religious leaders he may heard of but she refuses to go calling them charlatans. Finally he decides to appeal to her educated mind and mandates that she sees a doctor.

Bolanle's arrival into Baba Segi's household was greeted by derision from her mother and jealousy and fear from Baba Segi's current wives. Because she is university educated, the wives immediately assume that she will arrive with airs and look down on the rest of them. But Bolanle though extremely naive, does not mean them ill and tries to assimilate and offer help, even offering to teach the illiterate wives how to read. This offer is received with derision and scorn. Even her attempts to befriend the children of the household is rebuffed as it is obvious the children have been instructed to steer clear of her. Soon, Bolanle spends most of her time in her room and avoids her co wives.

Each of the three wives has an origin story that gives a fascinating insight into who they are and how they came to be that way. Iya Segi, Baba Segi's first wife, is uprooted from her home by a mother who though she spent Iya Segi's formative years telling her that all men were bad, is determined to marry her off. Iya Tope, Baba Segi's second wife, seems to be a bit of a simpleton but one who with a good heart, married off as payment when her father's cassava plants have a bad harvest. Iya Femi, the third wife, is sent to the city as a maid by her uncle after her parents' untimely death. Here she suffers under the harsh rule of her mistress a pitiless woman who tortures her by over working her and never paying her for fifteen years. So when Baba Segi suddenly announces his intention to take another wife, the wives are understandably uneasy. But they never give Bolanle a chance and go out of their way to make her life as lonely as possible. Only Iya Tope is good to her but she is a coward by nature and can barely stick up for herself. It is this need to discredit and destroy Bolanle that eventually becomes the undoing of the whole family. Through Bolanle, long held secrets and customs come to the fore front and are exposed.

I loved so many things about this book. Its ability to capture Nigeria, its culture, traditions and family life was absolutely fascinating. The lies some feel is necessary to sustain and hold unto the things considered dear, the need to avoid gossip by conformity and the fear of things we don't understand are all very well explored here. But oddly enough the weakest character in the book turns out to be Bolanle. Whereas the other wives even in all their evil machinations presented a multilayered and complex study, Bolanle turned out to be a bit of a bland character. She was extremely sympathetic, treated people fairly but at the end of the day, she was too cookie cutter. Her motivations for marrying Baba Segi never made sense to me and seemed like hollow excuses for an irrational decision. Her parents were not pressuring her to get married, in fact they were vehemently again her marrying a man they saw as a buffoon. Her education should have allowed her to find a nice paying job. But instead she chooses to marry a man she obviously does not love and enter a polygamous household as a fourth wive. It just didn't make sense.

Also please note there is an excessive need to describe Baba Segi's virility that kinda began to annoy me after a while. We get it, he is well endowed and treats sex like a combat sport. Enough already.

**Review Copy received from William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins. (less)

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Jun 07, 2010 B rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher, William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins.

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives takes place in present day Nigeria and tells the story of Baba Segi and his four wives and seven children. Much of the novel is narrated by Bolanle, the last wife. Her entrance into the family causes turmoil above and beyond the usual upheaval that occurs when a new wife is taken, as it exposes a secret that will change the family forever.

While the novel is set in...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Stacey rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All Women, book clubs

Recommended to Stacey by: Orange Prize long list

Shelves: fiction

The synopsis of this book is what initially drew me in, i thought it would be a nice light read and I was intrigued to read a story about a Nigerian polygamist and his wives....not that I didn't know immediately what the "secret" must have been, I mean come on, 4 wives, one unable to conceive and a devastating secret that could destroy them all??? But it doesn't matter, this book is about so much more then a racy secret.
It is about the complexities of family, jealousy, trust, and culture.
This no...more

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May 14, 2013 Asgrl rated it 3 of 5 stars

A tad bit melodramatic for me. I really wanted to love this book, but i was reminded a bit to much of Nollywood movies where the Actors tend to over-emote and over express themselves. It almost felt like the characters where screaming at me.

I also couldn't buy into Bolanle's motivation for settling down with Baba Segi in 1990's lagos not the 1960's. Her reasoning seemed a bit implausible. Yes she was raped and had an abortion, but by the 1990's in lagos virginity was not as treasured as your ab...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 6-books-6-countries-6-continents, around-the-world-group, great-african-reads-group

When Baba Segi awoke with a bellyache for the sixth day in a row, he knew it was time to do something drastic about his fourth wife's childlessness. He was sure the pain wasn't caused by hunger or trapped gas; it was from the buildup of months and months of worry.

The narration in The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel rotates among the adult family members in a polygamous Nigerian family, revealing their different responses as the book's central dilemma plays out. Baba Segi's fourth wif...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Titilayo rated it 5 of 5 stars

reading this book was like listening to my father tells anecdotes about growing up in elemosho compound. this novel (as well as my dad’s stories) has that "we walked barefoot up a hill six miles in snow every day to get to school after feeding the cows, drawing water from the well, and chopping a ton of wood" tone; but, it is decidedly nigerian. the story was elegant. the purpose driven lives, greed, kinship, jealousy, boldness, malice, naiveté, fear, hypocrisy, and religiosity magnify the symbi...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic read and one of the best books I've come across in a while. At the risk of sounding too banal, I'd call it a cross between (last year's infinitely enjoyable) "The Lonely Polygamist" and "Things Fall Apart."

I was most impressed with the characters in this story. The 1st and 3rd wives are some of the most horrible people I've ever encountered in a novel, but Lola Shoneyin gives them enough dimension that at times I still felt for them and understood their motivation. And Baba Segi - wh...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Sashana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed-from-a-friend, half-stars

Clarification: 3.5 stars

This book was beautifully written, the scenes were vivid and the writing was poetic without being flowery. However, I decided to give this book 3.5 stars because I had to drag through the first 50 pages. After that I did not put it down until the very end (seriously, I was reading until 4AM this morning)! I felt like I was in the middle of a Nigerian soap opera, and boy did I love it. I sympathized with Bolanle and cooed endearing statements to her as if she were my very...more Clarification: 3.5 stars

This book was beautifully written, the scenes were vivid and the writing was poetic without being flowery. However, I decided to give this book 3.5 stars because I had to drag through the first 50 pages. After that I did not put it down until the very end (seriously, I was reading until 4AM this morning)! I felt like I was in the middle of a Nigerian soap opera, and boy did I love it. I sympathized with Bolanle and cooed endearing statements to her as if she were my very best friend. I screamed obscene words (which shall not be repeated) at Iya Femi and Iya Segi. I gasped in astonishment as each secret was revealed. It’s a miracle that my family didn’t send me to the crazy house while I was reading it.

I’m really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book because it’s a far cry from what I’d usually read. I pride myself on being a very curious person so I did know a little about polygamy before reading this book (thanks to many Lifetime movies and Sisterwives on TLC). I do think this book was more realistic than anything that I’ve ever seen though; the jealously between the wives, the hierarchy of each woman, and the lengths they go to get their husband’s attention.

It would be so easy to hate these characters but Lola Shoneyin did a nice job of breaking down and building up each woman so that we could understand why they acted the way they did. In this she reminded me of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.

Answers to Discussion Questions (which are located at the end of the book)

1. It is normal practice in Nigeria for wives to be known as 'Iya' followed by the name of their first child. 'Iya' in this context means 'mother of'. What does this say about the identity of women in a traditional Nigerian setting and how do you think this might impact on women who are unable to produce children?
I found a part in this book which summarizes a woman’s identity in Nigeria perfectly. “It is every woman’s life purpose to bear children. Do you want to become a ghost in the world of the living?”Basically to have status in their society you have to have children. To be a childless woman in Nigeria is the equivalent of being useless or invisible. You are at the bottom of a hierarchy.

2. From the outset, the wives decide not to let Bolanle in on their secret, largely because her educational background makes them feel inferior. This turned out to be a disastrous decision on the wives' part. From your assessment of Bolanale's character, how do you think she would have reacted if she had been told?
Bolanale seems like a lady who knows how to roll with the punches. I have no doubt that she would have kept the other wives' secrets. I think if she was let in on the secret she would have let Baba Segi continue to think that she was barren.

3. Baba Segi insists on everyone in his household being present during 'family time'. Is this a normal occurrence in Western homes? Why do you think Baba Segi introduced this as part of the daily routine?
I think that family is very important to Baba Segi as well as to the Nigerian culture. However I think Baba Segi’s version of family time should be renamed “Baba Time.” It seemed like family time was mostly about him. Everything down to the placement of the armchairs, the serving of his dinner (him eating like a pig and then feeding the children his leftovers), to his wives fawning over him was just so self centered. Family time in Western culture is more inclusive (in my opinion). Everyone shares a little detail of their day or life if they are willing to. It doesn’t just center around one person.

4. The circumstances that lead the different women to become Baba Segi's wives are very different. How much say did they have in the matter and what alternatives do you think were open to them? Did any of the wives make the right decision? What would you have done if you were in their situations?
It’s not that I think they made a wrong decision in marrying Baba Segi, they made wrong decisions on how to make the marriage and the sister wife relationship function. For the most part 3 out of 4 wives had no say in the matter. Iya Tope and Iya Segi had to obey their parents’ wishes and Iya Femi wanted to escape Grandma’s wrath. They didn’t have many alternatives because they were poor, uneducated women. The only person who had a say in choosing Baba Segi as a husband was Bolanale. She was an educated woman so she had options (I do understand that she was down in the dumps though). If I were in their position I don’t know what I would have done.

5. The novel explores the issue of gender and how society defines a woman's role from childhood. To what extent does Iya Segi defy these set roles? And in what ways does she wield power over her family. Why do you think, after making more money that she could imagine, Iya Segi remained married to Baba Segi?
I think Iya Segi defied the traditional roll of a Nigerian woman because of her sexuality, but mostly because she was very business savvy. She really knew how to make her money work for her. If this woman were real and living in America she would have made Oprah look broke. I think she was the real man in the family-that is, the head of household. She decided how much each wife would get, and consequently each child. She had power over each wife. She knew just how to rile them up and how to put them in their place whenever they got out of line. Iya Segi didn’t leave Baba Segi because I don’t think it’s a common occurrence in Nigeria for women to be independent enough to own a house and a business. In another except it says“I have told you before that you cannot buy land and build your own house. The village men will say you are ridiculing them, doing that they can’t.”

6. In the chapter, 'Rat Head', Baba Segi attempts to strangle Bolanle. This is out of character for a man who, in the beginning of the novel, said 'we must not manhandle our women'. What was it about this particular situation that led him to behave so irrationally? What does this tell you about the role of superstition and the fear of the supernatural in Nigerian society?
I think many things led to Baba Segi acting “irrationally” in this chapter- besides the rat. It was a combination of the voodoo, Bolanle being out all day and lying about her whereabouts (he probably thought she was cheating), the lack of pregnancy, and the wives chaotic accusations. I think he reached his breaking point that day. Obviously people in Nigeria put a lot of weight into superstition; many of them use prophets and medicine men as doctors so its only natural that the people who they perceive to have these healing powers would have powers that could damage you.

7. Although many people find Iya Tope to be passive, we learn from 'Iya Tope' that it is she in fact who goes through the most liberating internal changes. Do you agree? How important would you say sexual pleasure is for the different wives?
Do I think she went through a liberating change because she found out she enjoyed sex through cheating on her husband? Call me naïve, but no. I don’t think she underwent a liberating internal change at all. It was surprising to learn that she had an affair because she’s so mousy. The scene where she finally stood up to Iya Femi and Iya Segi was liberating. I wish she could have had more of those moments. I wish she could have been more fearless.

8. Iya Femi comes across as bitter and vengeful, even after her religious encounter. Would you say some of her actions are justified? To what extent did the death of her parents change her destiny?
I don’t make a habit of cursing on Goodreads but I just say that this bitch is CRAZY!!! If her parents were alive then she would have been a less vindictive person. She would have had a completely different life. Gosh, if holding grudges were an Olympic even then she would won all the gold medals.

9. In the beginning of the novel, it is clear that Bolanle did not love Baba Segi. Do you think her feelings towards him changed through the course of the novel? If the other wives had been more accommodating, do you think Bolanle would have endured the marriage? Would your answer be different if she had been able to 'give' Baba Segi a child?
I think Bolanle’s affection for Baba Segi (or lack thereof) had many stages. I do think there was a point in the marriage when she genuinely did like him. She said she would go through so much trouble prepping for their nights together. I don’t think she felt affection for him at the end of the story though. I think Bolanle would have endured the marriage if the wives were more receptive even if she wasn’t able to have a child with Baba Segi.

10. Baba Segi loved his children dearly. He doted on every one of them, sent them to good schools and ensured that they lived comfortably lives. After discovering the 'secret' however, do you think his feelings towards his children changed? His reputation, ego or the physical presence of children in his household are all very important to Baba Segi but which is most important?
I think for a while his attitude did change towards them. After the death of Segi and his conversation Akin I think he found a way to look past it. That’s not to say that I think he feels the same about them before he found out but I think he still loves them because he is their father, just not biologically.

11. Some reviewers have stated that everyone 'won' in the end. Do you agree with this? Who, in your opinion, are the true victors?
I think the true victors in the end were the children (except for Segi) and Bolanle. I was really worried that Baba Segi would take Teacher’s advice and turn the children out. I’m glad the children are clueless about their fathers because they really seem to love each other. I’m glad that Bolanle found herself and decided to leave. Who would want to live with all that deceit? I think the other wives got off too easily, especially Iya Femi and Segi. I wish Baba Segi could have known about the lengths they went to to destroy Bolanle.(less)

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Jul 10, 2011 Christina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, library-book, location-africa

The narration of this novel shifts from third person point of view to the first person point of view of Bolanle to the first person point of view of Iya Tope to third person to first person. Sound confusing? It was. Other than marriage, there really wasn’t much stringing these characters and their narratives together. The voices and characters of Baba Segi and the first three wives left much to be desired. Part of my frustration with the narration stemmed from the fact that their was nothing to...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Lucinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

While I was skeptical about the portrayal of the lives of the characters at first, Shoneyin won me over about half way through the book. What I originally interpreted as very one dimensional characters were slowly developed into real people, in part through her smart use of different voices for each chapter. I wouldn't call myself completely convinced though... there is still a nagging sense of simplicity in her story-telling that I generally don't favour, but I suppose that might just be a matt...more

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May 06, 2011 Kirsten rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, own, reviewer-book

This book was an Early Reviewer book from LibraryThing.
Bolanle is the youngest, fourth wife of Baba Segi, a wealthy Nigerian man. She is also educated, and is somewhat torn between tradition and an independent bent. I really enjoyed this aspect of her character -- she very much wants to fit in with the family and the other wives, and most of all give Baba Segi a child, but at the same time she entertains fantasies of teaching the other wives and showing them a better, more modern way of life. Sh...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a story that could have very easily been an unyielding descent into the darkest of human emotions, the sort of story that sets out to show how horrible life is without pause. Instead this tale of the four wives of an arrogant yet insecure man in Nigeria is a rollercoaster, a journey through the broad expanse of human emotions and relationships. I veered between hating and sympathizing with the majority of the characters, and Ms. Shoneyin should be commended for her deft creation of sever...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Nigerian culture.

Recommended to Melissa by: My libraries Best Bets shelf.

What could I do? On the right was the person who gave me provisions and held my life and the lives of my daughters in the middle of her palm. On my left was the wife who wanted to teach me to read and write, the wife who did not yet know that she could be crushed by Iya Segi's powerful fist. The choices we have to make in this world are hard and bitter. Sometimes we have no choices at all.
- Lola Shoneyin, The Secret Lives of the Four Wives pg. 58

Lola Shoneyin is an excellent storyteller and wri...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Sherri rated it 5 of 5 stars

In one of the many African dialects spoken in Nigeria where this novel takes place, Baba means 'the Father of'. Segi is his first born child by his first wife Iya Segi - and Iya means 'the Mother of'.

Iya Segi is the ruler of the home and partitions out the goods in the home. The other wives must supplicate themselves to Iya Segi if they wish to get anything for themselves or their children.

Iya Tope is the second wife. She is shy and quiet and thinks the right things to do, but never quite manag...more In one of the many African dialects spoken in Nigeria where this novel takes place, Baba means 'the Father of'. Segi is his first born child by his first wife Iya Segi - and Iya means 'the Mother of'.

Iya Segi is the ruler of the home and partitions out the goods in the home. The other wives must supplicate themselves to Iya Segi if they wish to get anything for themselves or their children.

Iya Tope is the second wife. She is shy and quiet and thinks the right things to do, but never quite manages to do the right thing because she doesn't want to fall into bad graces with Iya Segi.

Iya Femi is sneaky and scheming. She wants everything for herself and will do absolutely anything to get it.

Then there is Bolanle who, after several years of marriage is still childless. It is here, where we join the story. Baba Segi has decided that something must be done about Bolanle and her childlessness. Out of all of his wives Bolanle is the only university-educated however, and it is because of this that she refuses to see the local witch-doctors. On the advise of an elder in the village, Baba Segi takes Bolanle to the hospital because the elder informs him that Bolanle is educated and this is the only type of doctor she will respect.

Throughout this novel the story of the wives is weaved. How they became Baba Segi's wives and why the first three wives are so dead-set against Bolanle staying in their family.

Then, the foundation of the family is rocked when a family secret is told by Iya Segi and its telling changes the family forever.

For me, this book was hard to read because Baba Segi's first three wives were so mean in their desire to remove Bolanle from the household. However, the writer told such a good tale that all I wanted to do was continue reading the book so I could find out what happened to Bolanle and the three wives. And when the book was done, there was a very good ending for Bolanle that was better than I could have imagined. For me, that made it worth reading about the difficulties that the first three wives reigned down on Bolanle.

(less)

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Sep 23, 2010 S rated it 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read too many African novels and so this was a fresh change of scenery for me and I really enjoyed it. The novel takes place in the house hold of a kind older man named Baba Segi. The family patriarch and father of seven children, has taken on a fourth wife. Two out of his three current wives are not happy about this new situation especially since the fourth wife is younger and University educated where they had not even finished high school.

The story unfolds wonderfully and with quit...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Serena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lola Shoneyin’s The Secret Lives of the Four Wives is set in modern-day Nigeria where men are supreme and wives are meant to breed children — an obsession of Baba Segi and the reason he has four wives. However, his newest wife, Bolanle, is the youngest and most educated of the four — Iya Segi, Iya Tope, Iya Femi, and Bolanle — and her entry into the household generates jealousy and change.

Baba Segi’s only concerns are being catered to by his wives and procreation, and when Bolanle fails to produ...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Shamekia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: well-written

I finally finished this today and WOW! I loved every page of this novel. My roommate and I were "racing" each other through it and I won, but can't wait for her to finish so we can have our own mini book club at home.

There are so many great things about this book, especially the language. It's poetic, proverbial, and beautiful. And not in that flowery, overtly mushy-gushy way. More so in an "akinkral" (I just made that word up) kind of way.

The most over-arching theme of course is the plight of...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
2013 Clutch Readi...: (June 2013 Fiction Read) The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives--Lola Shoneyin	1	15	May 30, 2013 08:35pm
Great African Reads: July \| "The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives"	30	42	Jan 08, 2013 07:51am
Ninjas Be Reading: "Baba Segi's Wives" reading assignments	2	17	Oct 14, 2012 12:42pm

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