Book Review of “Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad”

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It is no news that Lagos is for the crazy at heart, just as a friend of mine sums it, it is a dramatic state in all areas. This book is a collection of twelve short stories about the unique form of madness that goes on in Lagos especially among men. It tells relatable stories about the hurdles women go through to find love in Lagos. It’s hard to find love in Lagos, if you do, it becomes harder to keep. It cannot be overemphasized that the men in Lagos are indeed mad, and Damilare Kuku just wittingly underscores it in this book. These relatable short stories range from situations about opportunists, cheats, married men, mummy’s boy, to narcissists.

No doubt, astonishment, and belly laugh from this book will leave you in stitches. I was both satisfied and hungry for more. Let me slightly introduce you to Damilare Kuku’s crazy world.

Damilare Kuku- the writer of the book

“Cuck-Up,” the first story is about a woman with a deadbeat husband who manipulates her into sleeping with another man for money and ends up gaslighting her and the twist is, he cheats on her with younger girls. At the end of this story, my stomach is filled with butterflies as she realizes her worth during the family meeting set for her because she told her husband she was going to cut off his penis. “One last thing—if Lukumon doesn’t move out of this house, I will cut off his penis and use it for money rituals.” Go, sis! Sense is coming your way.

In “The Gigolo from Isale-Eko,” the story of Ignatius, a chronic womanizer who goes to any extent all in the name of having a woman. He sets off quickly once his aim is achieved. He marries and unmarries as he pleases- let’s say he goes with the flow.

One of my favorites is the story titled “Ode-Pus Complex.” It is about a Yoruba lady, Yejide, and an Igbo guy, Uche. If you’re familiar with Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory in his book entitled The Interpretation of Dreams, you will have a clear understanding of what to find in this story. Uche is clearly a mummy’s boy, who finds it uneasy to break ties with “mummy.” For her so-called prized son, Uche, mummy sets standards and conditions that Yejide must meet in order to marry her son. This mummy’s boy thingy infuriates my stomach.

The themes to find in the pages of this book are spousal deceit, tribalism, gender, adultery, bisexuality, and class. Personally, some of the stories had an abrupt ending that left me puzzled. The sexual content was somewhat exhausting. Yet, the experiences of madness and the energy in this book are supreme.

Do not worry, I will not over-spill the tea. I just wanted you to have a taste of the book. There are several other stories in the book, but I must remind you that this is a relatable masterpiece. Lagos was, is, and remains a jungle not only for the brave at heart but mainly for the “mad” at heart.

If you are someone like me who does not like to read lengthy stories or are a slow reader, try this book and you will thank me later. You can get the book from Amazon or click here