Damilare Kuku’s riveting novel begins with the most ludicrous proclamation, ‘‘I plan to renovate my bumbum in Lagos, live there for some time, and hopefully meet the love of my life!’’ For anyone who’s read Kuku’s debut, “Nearly All the Men in Lagos are Mad,” the irony of this statement would not be lost. Finding love in the arms of Lagos men – big bumbum or not – is a wild goose chase. In quick succession, we meet Temi, a 20-year-old Nigerian in her prime navigating an overpowering insecurity with her body image.
Temi is not the only one dealing with her fair share of body-imperfect demons. Who sets the beauty standard of an hourglass figure as the perfect body? Other characters closely tied to her become more relevant as a multitude of flaws are revealed. After dropping a bombshell following the demise of her father, a near-perfect man, we uncover the untold incidents that lead to the disintegration of a picture-perfect home in the staff quarters of Obafemi Awolowo University.
Call this book a blockbuster of secrets about the Toyebi family and you wouldn’t be far from correct. The most shocking being that of Aunty Jummai, the typical overbearing African aunty whose secret packs a punch. A light read with heavy themes; “Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow” pays homage to Ile-Ife more than usual. For those whose paths have crossed and lined the numeric roads of OAU staff quarters, Mayfair, Modakeke and its environs, this book is nostalgic.
There is no questioning Kuku’s understanding of the power of a compelling title. Needless to mention how the chapter titles on the table of contents can make or mar a reader’s choice. Juxtaposed with her spectacular wit and sprinklings of Nigerian English, you’d regret not grabbing this even when on a strict book-buying ban. Case in point: ‘Temi is a Blackboard’, ‘Jummai Is Plenty’, ‘Temi Is also a Mopstick’. Like Mark Manson on the non-fiction side, Damilare Kuku has hacked the book-writing game with her unsubtle titles.
Beyond fashioning an accomplished narrative about maternal bond and the obvious- body dysmorphia, Kuku’s vibrant use of Jummai to move the needle on patriarchy and its woes in African society is noteworthy. Through this character, we see for the umpteenth time the rarity of sane men and how women can snatch back power from a system that puppets men as the prize. ‘You are a wicked woman! Do you know of any other woman who hits her husband back?’ Mulling over a situationship, such as in the case of domestic violence, benefits no one. Sometimes, you must learn to fight back and embrace true freedom.
Thankfully, ‘‘BumBum book’’ as Kuku fondly calls her book on social media isn’t yet another re-creation of badly-behaved Lagos men like Ahmed Ayinde and Edache. The good Doctor Anyadike and Professor Toyebi are a few amongst the big cast of characters that gave the narrative a heft. In a world filled with absent dads and character-deficient men, more girls can use a father like Tito Toyebi. A doting father who affirms his girls and models fatherhood in its truest form.
The sibling love between Ladun and Temi, though marked by many murky secrets, is to be coveted. It’s telling, that “Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow” is not just a book about Brazilian butt lift (BBL) but a conscientious effort to uphold friendship and love beyond bloodlines.
The hallmark of this novel lies in how it addresses serious societal ills without being didactic. The book’s varying points of view have added more flair to the story than taken from it. The book succeeds in establishing Damilare Kuku as a force that cannot be ignored in contemporary African literature while whetting the reader’s appetite for her next works. Without a doubt, her writing will continue to appeal to those who instinctively seek thoughtful yet entertaining fiction of this kind.
