This satirical portrayal of the fictional West African 'Mimboland’ begins with the anguished reflections of a rather stereotypical Emmanuel, experiencing an emotional breakdown of sorts after failing university exams. Acutely aware of the unrealistic expectations of his family and the rural villagers who pin all their hopes on his return, Emmanuel simultaneously navigates his way through a shaky relationship and the dirty, dangerous yet glamorous streets of the fast city.
Ironically it is the mysterious demise of Emmanuel’s home village, Abehema, which releases him from the burden of breaking the news of his academic failures to his father and the rest of the village. An attempt by one of the elders or notables (Emmanuel’s father) to restore a sense of justice and order to the prevailing political system corrupted by the chief, guilty of embezzlement and possibly murder, spearheads the tragedy. Conflicting explanations raise the issues of scientific explanations (gas from a volcanic eruption) versus the prevailing belief in a system of magic and witchcraft (the chief harnessed supernatural forces to punish the village elders).
Souls Forgotten is an excellent and compelling satirical portrayal of the underlying tensions between the modern and the traditional faced on the continent today. These dichotomies are a central thread and exist within the central characters themselves. Language is a key thread in the book, with the linguistic competencies of the characters in pidgin, French, or the local languages, often impacting centrally on their relations with others in the society, particularly in the city. Moreover, the chauvinistic central character is unemployed and expects his working girlfriend to arrive home in time to cook his favourite meal, yet later they seemingly find happiness in ‘true love’,marriage and children. The elders’ coup attempt to impose political and social justice is ultimately lost to the stronger power of magic and witchcraft. The forgotten souls, the victims of the supernatural disaster of Abehema, turn to the Western hospital in their desperation. The traditional ties of friendship, kinship and loyalty are temporarily abandoned as one man faces financial ruin with the death of his cattle.
The tensions are constantand there is seemingly no absolution, though ultimately Emmanuel seems to find the balance between tradition and modernity through love and family; and more importantly in his new identity as political actor via the creation of an NGO which, it appears, will give his people agency and the hope of real change in a context fraught with nepotism and corruption, and the uncertainty of the power of the supernatural. Unfortunately though, it is only the Africa of Nyamnjoh’s novel, which has such a happy ending. Increasingly modernisation results in the growth of individualistic versus collectivist cultures, and Africans the continent over have yet to find ways to shift the centres of power.
This is an engaging read from a well-established scholar who surprises with his competencies as both researcher/ academic and novelist. Nyamnjoh’s writing is intoxicating and entices the writer into the deep, dark and complex world of ‘Mimboland’ that the central characters in this, his 6th work of fiction, occupy.
*Prof Nyamnjoh recently joined the Faculty of Humanities, Dept of Social Anthropology, UCT. This book is available in the Main Library at 828.9655NYAM.
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