Soma Nami’s Books in Review
By Wendy Njoroge
Wendy Njoroge reviews The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma
Chigozie Obioma’s The Fishermen is a haunting and lyrical debut, first published in 2015, that explores the fragility of family bonds and the devastating power of prophecy. Set in 1990s Nigeria under the military dictatorship of Sani Abacha, the novel follows four brothers whose lives are upended by a chilling prediction that becomes a self-fulfilling tragedy.
Narrated by nine-year-old Ben, the youngest of the four central brothers, the story opens in a quiet town where the children grow up under the strict guidance of a disciplinarian father and a hardworking mother who runs a market stall. Their lives, though modest, are stable—until the father is transferred to another city. In his absence, the tightly controlled structure of the household begins to loosen, creating a vacuum that the boys gradually fill with curiosity, risk, and rebellion.
Drawn by both boredom and a thirst for adventure, the brothers begin to fish at the forbidden Omi-Ala river, a place long regarded with fear and superstition. What starts as a harmless pastime soon takes a darker turn. One afternoon, their secret is nearly exposed by a well- meaning neighbour. On the same day, they encounter a notorious town madman—revered and feared for his prophetic declarations—who utters a terrifying curse. From that moment, the family’s seemingly ordinary life unravels, as the brothers spiral into paranoia, suspicion, and eventual catastrophe.
Obioma masterfully blends myth, folklore, and psychological drama into a narrative that is both intimate and epic. His prose is fluid and vivid, painting scenes that are as lyrical as they are harrowing. The novel is set against the backdrop of political instability and echoes of 1990s Nigeria, drawing subtle parallels between familial collapse and national unrest.
The result is a story that grips from the first page and refuses to let go—a modern tragedy where prophecy becomes prison, and fear takes on a life of its own. It’s a testament to Obioma’s skill as a storyteller that he turns a tale of youthful mischief into an unforgettable exploration of fate, madness, and the limits of familial love.
It’s no surprise that The Fishermen garnered international acclaim, winning the inaugural Financial Times/Oppenheimer Funds Emerging Voices Award for Fiction, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and earning a shortlist spot for the Booker Prize in 2015.
The Fishermen is available at Nairobi’s Pan-African bookshop Soma Nami – with 2 locations: at Greenhouse Mall in Ngong Rd. and in Ngara, also online at www.somanami.co.ke
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