Introduction
The Baby Is Mine is a short story set in Lagos, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 lockdown. It follows an entanglement that Bambi, a young man thrown out by his girlfriend, happened upon, between his late uncle’s wife and his late uncle’s mistress, who were, strangely, isolating together in the same house.
Book Summary
Bambi was living well, being taken care of by his latest woman during the lockdown in Lagos. That was until she found incriminating evidence of cheating on his phone and kicked him out in the middle of the night.
What was he to do? Where was he to go?
He decided to go to his late uncle’s house, knowing there was always a space for him there. But what he found was unexpected: his aunty Bidemi was sharing the house with his uncle’s mistress and the baby.
The baby, as the title suggests, became the mystery. Whose baby was it? Was it Aunty Bidemi’s or someone else’s?
Bambi suddenly found himself playing the role of peacekeeper between the two women, who one day, seemingly out of the blue, started fighting over the maternity of the child. In the wake of the maternity dispute, there were worrying happenings around the house, including tribal scores on the baby’s face. As tensions grew, the baby’s safety came into question, and Bambi took it upon himself to be his protector.
Whose baby is it really?
And was peace ever restored?
Grab your copy to find out.
Recommendations
I read this book because I love Oyinkan Braithwaite’s work. Having read Treasure and My Sister, the Serial Killer, and excitedly anticipating Cursed Daughters, due for release in September 2025, I wanted to add The Baby Is Mine to my Oyinkan collection.
However, I have to say, I struggled to finish this one, even though it’s a short story. Oyinkan’s usual humour and touch of darkness were there for sure, but I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I had anticipated.
As is typical of short stories, it left me wanting more, but that’s a characteristic of the genre, not a flaw of the author.
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
I just couldn’t connect with it. But if you’re looking for a quick read and a few laughs, this one might be for you.
About the Author
See my review of My Sister, the Serial Killer and Treasure for a full author bio.