After the success of Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad and Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow, Damilare Kuku returns with Women Rent Men and Secrets Here, a novel shaped by love, crime, poor choices, humour and the strange ways Nigerians laugh through pain. Speaking with Guardian Life, she talks about the real case that pushed her into the story, why she writes with comedy even when the subject is heavy, and why books still matter in a world that is moving too fast.
What inspired you to write Women Rent Men and Secrets Here?
Chidinma Ojukwu's case served as the backbone for this novel. I wanted to write something that would call attention to it. The whole point of writing this book is to call eyes to the so-called criminal cases in the Nigerian system that have not been properly vetted. Of course, a good laugh as you digest the reality of our country is also one of my goals for writing Women Rent Men and Secrets Here. We all need comedy to make sense of the tragic situations that sometimes happen in Nigeria. Using the word 'rent' in the title is to remind readers that life is transient. We don't own anything or anyone forever so let's just live in the moment. I hope young people make better decisions when it comes to love and life after reading this book.
Can you walk us through your creative process for writing this book?
I don't think writers can ever finish writing a book. You just drop your pen when you realise you have done everything humanly possible for the characters. This book took three years to write, with many months of rewrites and edits. I don't really do a mental journaling of the creative process for any of my books because writing a book involves so many aspects. I just wake up and show up until all my publishers say, 'Thank you, Damilare, we have a book we are proud to put out into the world.'
Is there a particular character, scene, or theme in the book that's especially close to your heart?
I am partial to Juicy because she needs an elder sister and guidance. I think the whole sibling relationship is so interesting, as it doesn't always have to happen with just family members. However, I love all the characters, including the terrible ones. No one was born bad, unless you are the literal spawn of satan. Everyone becomes who they are as their environment and life happen to them. My favourite scene is the scene in Yaba left. We don't talk enough about therapy in this country, and I just wanted to highlight that in the best way.
Were there any challenges or surprising moments during the writing or publishing process?
The whole process of creating is rewarding but equally draining. I expect challenges, so I don't flinch when they happen. There is a verse in the Bible that says many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers her from them all. I like to think that an artist in the process of creating is a righteous one, and I truly expect God to sort them out. God also promises that all things will work together for my good. I have had days when I feel unwilling to do anything but stare into the abyss, but the Holy Spirit has been my rock.
How do you think Women Rent Men and Secrets Here differs from your previous work?
I always experiment with a new kind of writing style with each book, so as you read this one, you will feel like you are in the moments with the characters, watching it all unravel. I use the character Ara to let writers that are at the beginning of their journeys catch a glimpse into what it is like to write. I love Women Rent Men and Secrets Here because it reads so easily. I have read the book at least ten times outside of edits.
What motivated you to become a writer?
I have always wanted to write. I think I got that gene from my mum, who is a great poet. Then she took me to Jazzhole to hear Chimamanda read from her novel Half of a Yellow Sun, and I fell in love with writing. My journey has been really fun because I get to do what I love at an international level. The new Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad is such a well-edited and well-written version, it's like taking a grown child who is in desperate need of new shoes and giving them a completely new wardrobe. Can you imagine? Wanting just shoes and getting a whole closet of new shoes, clothes and everything nice! Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad now has thirteen delicious stories, how wonderful!
What does a typical writing day look like for you?
This is such an interesting question because my process changes with each book. The only constant thing is I show up and do the work. I know no one is coming to save me so if I don't write the stories then I have wasted time. I am not a fan of wasting time.
Who are the authors or books that have influenced you the most?
Chimeka Garricks, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sade Adeniran and Nawal El Saadawi are some of my favourite writers. Generally, books I read leave an impression because I enjoy seeing the world through the lenses of other writers. But the book I always go back to is Tomorrow Died Yesterday. I don't think anyone writes quite as beautifully as Chimeka Garricks.
How do you see the role of literature in today's world?
We have never needed books more than we do now. I am grateful that all three of my books are bestsellers. It shows that people want to read. I think literature will forever play its role in saving the world. There are so many brilliant books out there, so I hope that founders find a way to incorporate literature into the digital world without diluting its essence.
What book(s) are you currently reading?
I love the novel Audition by Katie Kitamura. I am reading it all over again. It's so similar to Women Rent Men and Secrets Here, with the use of POV. Most evenings, I read both books side by side just to see how art can be so different yet similar. I check to see how I could have written Women Rent Men better. In the afternoons, I read Flesh by David Szalay that I had already finished over the holidays. I sometimes go back to scenes that left me in shock. He writes with such simplicity. Yesterday morning, I started to reread Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow. A friend mentioned something about it in a conversation, which I didn't see whilst writing it. I am trying to understand the book from his perspective. I am also reading the Bible daily.
Looking back on your career, what's one piece of advice you'd give your younger self as a writer?
I am still young, so maybe I can answer that question much later in the future. I am doing my writing journey with God, so I feel very secure in Him. Not myself. Just Him. The only thing I wish I had done was with my acting career; I truly wish I had started my acting career with God. It would have saved me a lot of needless stress.
