Abobo Marley

by Yaya Diomandé

Moussa est « balanceur » sur un gbaka à Abidjan, une fourgonnette qui chaque jour fait la liaison entre la commune d’Abobo et le centre commercial d’Adjamé. Accroché à la portière, il sillonne la ville. Mais il ne voit presque rien de ce qui l’entoure. Ses rêves sont ailleurs. Il les porte depuis son enfance dans le quartier de Marley. Moussa veut aller à Bengue, en Europe. Peu importe le prix à payer, il veut partir, et que sa réussite là-bas profite aux siens ici. Il sera cireur de chaussures, apprenti mécanicien, chauffeur de taxi, soldat de la rébellion, chef de bande, avant de réunir assez d’argent et tenter l’aventure. Pour quelle vie ?

Moussa nous raconte son monde avec la candeur de l’enfant, la révolte du jeune homme, l’assurance et l’aveuglement de l’homme qui ne renonce jamais. Une énergie vitale contagieuse, une odyssée moderne renversante, la découverte d’une voix magnifique qui porte celle de la jeunesse africaine d’aujourd’hui.

« Lauréat du nouveau prix Voix d'Afriques, le jeune auteur séduit avec son incroyable histoire qu'il raconte dans Abobo Marley. » Mohammed Aïssaoui, Le Figaro.fr

Genres: Africa

160 pages

Published October 23, 2024

Reviews

[Mihanta Randria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lu en seul trait après quelques semaines sans lecture. Un récit touchant et naïf du jeune cireur du port qui rêve coûte que coûte de « Bengue » soit l’Occident. Un jeune homme prêt à tout, encore et encore pour espérer vivre ce qu’il qualifie d’El Dorado. Je recommande!

[Madi T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Abobo Marley is a compelling novel that relatably exposes the dynamic between European countries and ex colonized territories in Africa. The author, Yaya Diomandé illustrates a reality that is often occulted and unknown to most people. In the novel we follow the journey of Moussa aka "Mozess de Bengué", a young kid from Abobo, a working-class neighborhood in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, who dreams of traveling to France (Bengué) to make a living to support his family.

Moussa navigates a strict family structure grounded in traditions that eventually conflict with his progressive beliefs. It is from this friction that our protagonist decides to do whatever it takes to start a better life in the West.

This novel is all the more important today as immigration remains a focal point in Western political debate. Historically, Western societies have repeatedly associated immigration with invasion, illegality, misery, and free benefits, as if a migrant's hardships end the moment they set foot in their perceived El Dorado. I hope this book helps readers understand how flawed that perspective is. Indeed, in the vast majority of cases, leaving your home and family behind is not a choice but a sacrifice born of having no other options. Privilege might lead some to find the protagonist's struggles unrealistic, but unfortunately, these situations happen all too often.
What I especially appreciated was the parallel between Moussa's path and his sister's. On one hand, you have an eager male protagonist lured by fast gains, willing to risk everything—even acting against his moral and religious beliefs to reach his goal. On the other hand, we have Fatima, a symbol of wisdom and loyalty, who sticks to her plan: finishing school, earning her diploma, and building stability for her family. Diomandé succeeds by carefully demonstrating the complexity of each path. For instance, Moussa's encounter with an educated young man trying to reach Switzerland because he couldn't secure an internship at home serves as a poignant reminder that doing everything the "right way" does not guarantee a reward.

Ultimately, I admired Diomandé's nuanced approach, particularly given how modern politics often treats immigration as a burden while claiming the West "cannot host all the world's misery." Immigration is multifaceted, and understanding it requires empathy and open-minded human curiosity.

[Moushine Zahr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel I've read from Ivory Coast author Yaya Diomandé. I've traveled extensively to Ivory Coast early 2024 so I was able to follow the story through the various geography described. The story is interesting, but it is too straight forward. There are no sub stories or story behind the story. The leading character is fixed throughout his life on traveling to Bengue (Europe), but does not learn from his failed experiences nor changes behaviors throughout his life. Despite the leading character moving around a lot, he is not interesting to follow and neither becomes a model to anyone.

[Chema Caballero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesante historia de la vida de un niño que sueña con migrar a Europa, los trabajos que hace. Dibujo de la sociedad de Costa de Marfil de las últimas décadas. El final un poco moralizante contra la migración. Es lo que menos me ha gustado, quizás

[N'Golo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Livre assez redundant.