Of brotherhood and betrayal

THE biblical story of Cain and Abel tells of the first murder committed in the world, well as so believed by those of the Judeo-Christian faith. An act of fratricide where brother takes the life of his brother! This is the central plot of the debut novel “The Fishermen” by Nigerian writer Chigozie Obioma.

Set in the small town of Akure in the 1990s when Nigeria was under the military rule of General Sani Abacha, “The Fishermen” is narrated by nine-year-old Benjamin, a member of the upper middle-class Agwu family.

After their father, who works for the Central Bank, is posted to a different city, Benjamin and his three older brothers Ikenna, Boja and Obembe - abuse their new-found freedom and disobey some longstanding family rules.

They become fishermen in the OmiAla river, a forbidden place for the townspeople, as it is believed to be dangerous and cursed, though it was once a source a life and energy.

Returning from one of their fishing expeditions, the boys are confronted by a madman-cum- clairvoyant Abulu, who sets brother against brother by predicting that the eldest, Ikenna, will be killed by a fisherman, what the brothers had dubbed themselves.

Benjamin narrates the change in his brother Ikenna from this day and how this affected his relationship with the rest of the family until it takes a fatal turn.

What Obioma manages to do in “The Fishermen” is explore familial, cultural, religious, legal and psychological themes in a way that challenges the reader’s own beliefs, and forces them to question societal norms and their origins.

Obioma’s novel looks at the effects of the absence of a father figure in the home, and how a single mother is put under pressure taking up both parental roles, particularly with adolescent boys.

Though Eme, the father, is not completely gone, his departure for weeks on-end, in a home where he was the main disciplinarian shifts the power dynamics, and releases the boys from a tight grip, giving them room to be adventurous and take advantage of their mother’s naivety about her children.

The story also looks at loyalty and how influenced children can be by their siblings.

Ikenna as the eldest leads his brothers everywhere. They listen to him and follow him. Boja is second in command, while Obembe and Benjamin shadow these two everywhere.

When catastrophe finally strikes and Obembe wishes to exact revenge on Abulu, Benjamin is guilt-tripped into it, but goes along with the plan to illustrate his loyalty to his brothers.

One key aspect the book touches on is that of mental illness and how prevalent and destructive it can be in African families.

Obioma does not only illustrates it through the madman Abulu, but also through the depression that Ikenna goes through when he is told of his fate.

This prophecy consumes him and completely changes him.

There is also the mental breakdown that the children’s mother suffers once calamity befalls the family, and the sheer determination to exact revenge that Obembe goes through.

For this reader, Obioma’s point seems to be that each and every family goes through a number of life-changing moments and events.

It is, however, important to examine the mental health of the family unit and that of each individual member as one misfortune can lead to another.

This read reminded this reader of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Purple Hibiscus”, not because they are both Nigerian writers, but because of how they are narrated by young children and examine how a family unit is affected by changes to its general make-up.

“The Fishermen” is a well-written modern African novel that shares part of the history and culture of Nigeria and is a testament to the great storytelling ability of African writers.