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In Only Big Bum Bum Matters Tomorrow, Damilare Kuku introduces a protagonist, Témì with big plans for a drastic change to her appearance in the form of a BBL. 

In her debut novel, Damilare examines familial relationships, beauty standards and the quest for desirability in modern day Nigeria. 

Témì is a young university student, grappling with her body image all while navigating loss and complex family dynamics including her older sister’s sudden disappearance prior. 

Her journey towards the BBL unravels a slew of other issues including the weight of physical beauty, the desire to be attractive and what it means to reach for unattainable beauty standards. 

The women in this book are deeply flawed but incredibly relatable, a testament to the authors skill. They live full and interesting lives while making challenging decisions in a life full of difficulties. 

Once again, Damilare disarms the reading by infusing humour in writing these challenging themes. 

Deeply observant and thought-provoking, Damilare scratches beyond the surface of what it means to be a woman striving for beauty and by extension a sense of self, in contemporary Nigeria. 

We sat down with Damilare Kuku to discuss self identification, beauty standards and the quest for beauty while navigating familial relationships

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