BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//6.6.4.4//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:57@blackwomenconnect.ca DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260626T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260626T210000 DTSTAMP:20260426T133906Z URL:https://www.blackwomenconnect.ca/events/june-book-club-meeting-the-sec ret-lives-of-baba-segis-wives-by-lola-shoneyin/ SUMMARY:June Book Club Meeting - The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin DESCRIPTION:Join Black Women Connect for our June Book Club as we come toge ther to discuss The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin.\ nJoin us for our June Book Club gathering as we dive into The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives\, a bold\, funny\, sharp\, and deeply layered nove l about marriage\, power\, secrecy\, womanhood\, survival\, and what happe ns when one woman’s arrival threatens to expose everything.\nWe are exci ted to continue gathering in person\, with a hybrid option available for t hose joining online. We will be meeting in downtown Toronto at King and Pe ter Street\, and we look forward to another evening of honest conversation \, laughter\, reflection\, and community.\nAbout the Book\nThe Secret Live s of Baba Segi’s Wives follows Baba Segi\, a wealthy Nigerian patriarch with four wives and seven children. His household appears successful\, ful l\, and firmly under his control\, until his newest wife\, Bolanle\, arriv es.\nBolanle is young\, educated\, and different from the other wives. Her presence unsettles the household and stirs jealousy\, suspicion\, and con flict. But as tensions rise\, long-hidden secrets begin to surface\, threa tening the image of family\, power\, and respectability that Baba Segi has built around himself.\nLola Shoneyin tells this story with wit\, bite\, a nd emotional depth\, giving voice to the women inside the household and re vealing the private bargains they have made to survive. The novel explores patriarchy\, infertility\, shame\, rivalry\, desire\, silence\, and the w ays women protect themselves in systems that often give them very little r oom to breathe.\nThis is the kind of book that will give us a rich convers ation. It is dramatic\, funny\, painful\, provocative\, and full of charac ters whose choices will spark debate.\nWhat to Expect\nDuring our discussi on\, we will explore:\nThe lives\, secrets\, and survival strategies of Ba ba Segi’s wivesBolanle’s role as the outsider who disrupts the househo ldMarriage\, patriarchy\, fertility\, and respectabilityThe pressure place d on women to bear children and preserve family honourHow women navigate p ower when the system is stacked against themThe tension between rivalry\, sisterhood\, jealousy\, and shared vulnerabilityLola Shoneyin’s use of h umour\, satire\, and multiple voices\nWhy You Should Join\nThe Black Women Connect Book Club is a welcoming community designed for thoughtful dialog ue\, shared learning\, and collective reflection. This month’s novel giv es us an opportunity to unpack themes that speak directly to many of our l ived realities as Black women\, including identity\, marriage\, womanhood\ , survival\, silence\, respectability\, vulnerability\, and the search for agency in spaces shaped by power and tradition.\nHow to Participate\n• Read the Book: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin• RSVP: Register to receive the event details and Zoom link if joining onli ne• Join the Conversation: Bring your insights\, reflections\, questions \, and honest reactions\nWho Should Join?\nAnyone who identifies as a Blac k woman is welcome\, whether you have been with us for years or this will be your very first meeting.\nIf you enjoy bold contemporary African fictio n\, complicated family stories\, sharp social commentary\, layered women c haracters\, and books that raise uncomfortable questions about power\, gen der\, secrecy\, and survival\, this discussion is for you.\nCome ready to talk\, listen\, laugh\, disagree\, reflect\, and reconnect. We are so glad to be gathering in person again\, and we look forward to seeing you there .\nHow to Prepare\n📖 Read the Book: The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s W ives by Lola Shoneyin💭 Reflect: Think about the characters\, moments\, and themes that stayed with you☕ Get Comfortable: Bring your favourite d rink and settle in for a rich discussion\nWhat You’ll Receive\n✅ Zoom link to join the discussion or in-person address✅ A discussion guide wit h thoughtful prompts✅ Access to our private Facebook group for continued conversation✅ Connection with a community of Black women who love books and dialogue\nAbout Black Women Connect Book Club\nThe Black Women Connec t Book Club is a monthly gathering that brings Black women together throug h fiction and nonfiction by writers of African descent. We read\, reflect\ , connect\, and build community through the power of storytelling. It’s more than a book club. It’s connection\, conversation\, and sisterhood. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://i0.wp.com/www.blackwomenconnect.ca/wp-co ntent/uploads/2025/11/Baba-Segis-Wives.jpg?fit=666%2C1000&ssl=1 CATEGORIES:Book Club Meetings LOCATION:King and Peter - Hybrid Meeting\, 111 Peter Street\, Toronto\, Can ada X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=111 Peter Street\, Toronto\ , Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=King and Peter - Hybrid Meeting:geo:0, 0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Toronto X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Toronto BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR