Chigozie Obioma’s The Fishermen: Beyond the Fishermen, Let’s Play Spot the Mad Men?

For those who just want to enjoy a good, engrossing book and have no time for isms and literary reviews, Obioma's The Fishermen is a very interesting book. It is suspense-filled and has the capacity to truly surprise you. Sometimes you see it coming, sometimes you don't. Go read it. For the rest of you who are interested in long story, read my review :) :

During the weekend, I read Chigozie Obioma’s The Fishermen. The reading was punctuated by an unending commentary that may be summed up thus: “You should read this book.” I cannot believe this book is this good. I will try to talk about the book while not giving spoilers. It is a book that thrives on the suspense so skilfully woven that leaves the reader quivering on the brink of many emotions. It will make you laugh. At some points, I could not help but gasp. It is the story of Mr Agwu, his wife and six children: Ikenna, Boja, Obembe, Ben, David and Nkem. What I find most beautiful is the intense animal metaphors through which Obioma builds plot and characters.

I enjoyed the book immensely. If I were to have a say, I would say while the book is titled “The Fishermen”, do not be deceived. There are fishermen in the books but the mad men stole the show. The book has madness springing up where you do not expect it.

It calls to mind Chinua Achebe’s “The Madman.” When a well-to-do man on the verge of picking a title runs into the village naked on the heels of the mad man who has stolen his clothes, we cannot help but feel his anger at the mad man, however, we must concede that he had his minute of madness during which he forgot that he was naked.

In Obioma’s The Fishermen, Abulu, the madman speaks and turns the Agwu family upside down. It is a madness that will fall to the ground and tumble around for years. In the end, one would ponder if they were mad for dancing to the tune of the mad man in the first place.

What I find most interesting however is the way Obioma succeeds in engaging the bigger issues of postcolonial Africa and leads one to find the madness of a postcolonial society. What is more, Achebe’s Okonkwo becomes the motivation for Obembe’s actions, to dire consequences.

In the end, Obioma’s The Fishermen by intricately depicting madness and its course invites us to contemplate our own collective madness and be compelled to be ashamed of our nakedness. It catches a postcolonial nation lingering at the edge of the market naked. If we, as a whole, hearken to Obioma’s voice, perhaps it is time for us to leave the mad man to get off with the clothes he has stolen, it is time to  return home and be sane.

Simply put, it has been a long while I read a book that did not beg the question “And so?” Read Obioma’s The Fishermen  if you want to know what boys are up to when they are not raping or bullying girls. It is- pardon me this singular cliché- a breath of fresh air.