Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Book Review Explores Dating Madness in Damilare Kuku’s Lagos Stories
Damilare Kuku’s book has 12 stories about dating and marriage in Lagos.
Most of the stories are told from women’s points of view.
The men often lie, cheat, manipulate others or make selfish choices.
The women must be very careful because these choices can hurt them badly.
Some women find clever ways to protect themselves or get revenge.
The book also discusses sexual abuse, secret relationships and difficult family situations.
One story follows a woman who meets her rapist again years later.
The reviewer says the stories show how money, social pressure and competition can damage relationships.
Damilare Kuku’s 2021 debut is a collection of 12 stories about heterosexual relationships in Lagos.
The stories portray men using deception, infidelity, coercion and schemes to pursue money, sex or status.
Women from varied ages and socioeconomic backgrounds navigate harmful relationships with caution and resistance.
The collection addresses sexual abuse, hidden same-sex relationships, family pressure, blackmail and trauma.
The reviewer presents Lagos as a harsh, competitive environment where women endure and sometimes retaliate against male misconduct.
- Who
- Damilare Kuku wrote the book, which focuses mainly on women and men involved in relationships in Lagos.
- What
- A review examines Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad, a 12-story collection about romantic relationships and the harmful behavior of many male characters.
- When
- The book was published in 2021; the review presents it as a Sunday book pick.
- Where
- Lagos, Nigeria.
- Why
- The collection explores how money, sex, social status, family expectations and a competitive urban environment shape relationships and contribute to what the book calls male “madness.”
- Author
- Damilare Kuku
- Book
- Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad
- Publication year
- 2021
- Format
- Short story collection
- Number of stories
- 12
- Publisher
- Swift Press
- Primary setting
- Lagos, Nigeria