The Prophet of Zongo Street: Unforgettable West African Stories of Folklore, Myth, and Modernity

by Mohammed Naseehu Ali

A dazzling collection of stories, The Prophet of Zongo Street takes readers to a world that seamlessly blends African folklore and myths with modernity. Set primarily on Zongo Street, a fictitious community in West Africa, the stories -- which are reminiscent of the works of Ben Okri and Amos Tutuola -- introduce us to wonderfully quirky characters and the most uproarious, poignant, and rawest moments of life. There's Kumi, the enigmatic title character who teaches a young boy to finally ask questions of his traditions. And as Ali moves his characters to America we meet Felix, who struggles with America's love of the exotic in "Rachmaninov." The Prophet of Zongo Street heralds a new voice and showcases Mohammed Naseehu Ali's extraordinary ability to craft stories that are both allegorical and unforgettable.

Genres: Fiction, Africa, Short Stories, Ghana, African Literature, Modern

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Born in Kumasi, Ghana, Ali went to the United States in 1988 to study.[1] He is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and Bennington College.

His first book, a collection of short stories titled The Prophet of Zongo Street, was published in 2006 and received positive reviews. Ali has acknowledged being influenced in the writing of this book by V. S. Naipaul's Miguel Street. He has published short stories and non-fiction essays in several publications, including The New Yorker, the New York Times, Mississippi Review, BOMB, Gathering of the Tribes, and Essence. Ali now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A storyteller motif prevails--the characters enjoy gossip and are storytellers. The settings of the stories alternate—one taking place on Zongo Street in Ghana, the next describing a Ghanian immigrant in NYC.
Here are the basics of the stories:
1. A grandmother describes the mythical birth and youth of a bad child as the reason for day and night.
2. Kumi, an intelligent man, is driven mad thinking about the imperialistic effects of Christianity and Islam on the Ghanian culture (a portrait of a would-be terrorist?)
3. An immigrant live-in nursemaid is suspected of cheating an elderly woman. She is patronized by the woman’s nephew. The maid decides that the community of Ghanian culture is superior, and vows not to die in America.
4. Describes the marriage of an unhappy couple (the man is impotent), with a surprisingly tender ending.
5. An Armenian cab driver describes his immigrant experience to his Ghanian customer. This also is tender: “I’ll take your pain.”
6. A young boy spends time as a patient in the hospital in the company of the dying
7. Rachmaninov: this story reminded me of Richard Wright’s Bigger Thomas and you have to judge it in that context (although the protagonist is educated). It is about the disturbing effects of a sick, racist culture on an individual
8. Mallam Sile, the tea-house owner, marries a tough woman who stops him from being cheated by his customers. Although he is a peaceful type, she accomplishes his elevation in the community through violence
9. Faith—describes the 2nd coming
10. Man pass man—a charming swindler tells his story of being outwitted by ghosts.

The folklike narrative technique masks the sophistication and complexity at the heart of these stories. The book is a window on a very different culture, critical of it, yet at the same time filled with longing.

[Sidik Fofana · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX WORD REVIEW: Sit on hearth with old Uwargida.

[Jason]

A collection of short stories that mainly occur on Zongo Street in Kumasi, Ghana, though a few stories check in on the diaspora in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Like "Mango Street" or "Midaq Alley," the stories interlink and give you a sense of place. Admittedly, "Zongo" isn't as entertaining or moving as "Mango." Mohammed Naseehu Ali's stories share the humor and tragedy of everyday life in Kumasi and Brooklyn, but they're often one twist or insight away from being worth re-reading.

One exception: "The True Aryan." Ali tells about an African musician who's trying to get home after a late gig and his chatty Armenian cabby. The musician (and reader) alternate between irritation and frustration with the cabby until a surprising conclusion makes you empathize with the driver ... and all of the random strangers you meet in cabs, elevators, and waiting in line at the deli.

Many of Ali's stories have themes of connection and separation, especially once the action shifts to Park Slope. "The True Aryan" is the ripest fruit on this tree and worth tasting.

[Steve Lively · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali creates a charismatic and vivid land for readers unfamiliar with Ghana. these tales exhibit a varied cast, but the themes presented here make this an excellent read and viable study for the current state of modern short fiction.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mostly very fun short story collection, with the strongest stories being the Zongo Street ones.

[Alexandria Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy writing style. For fiction lovers.

[Francisco Ricci · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely collection of short stories. My favourite was "Rachmaninoff".

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while traveling through Ghana! It’s a transnational collection of stories that emerge from the author’s own position living as a Ghanaian Muslim from Kumasi who later immigrates to New York City, where he is an accomplished artist: writer and musician. These stories take place alternatively in Kumasi and New York, they deal with the rich culture of Hausa-speakers in a quarter of the bustling city of Kumasi, and race in NYC. Funny, stark, and enriching is how I describe this collection!

[Micah · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this is a book of short stories, the first one I've come across on the shelf. I hope it isn't the last because I really like these. They're a breeze to read. The backbone to this entire book is that someone in the stories is probably from Ghana.

Anyway, this book is a mixed bag of goodies. Oh the whole, I enjoyed it. When the book is dealing with issues of race or colonialization or imperialism and religion, it's pretty on point. When the book touches on gender issues it's not as cohesive. That stuff clearly isn't the authors bag, but problems are problems.

So most of these short stories are very conversational. People talking about life and stuff. Since almost all the protagonists are men, you come across a few male gazey scenes. Those are whatever, and then there's the representation. We get the single moms and the mean women and the needy queen bee and the poor maid and the big fat ugly domineering wife.

Not all of these are 'negative' or intended to be that way, but there isn't the scholar or shop owner or leader to balance anything out, and the ones that are negative definitely get their full time.

The positives are that the stories are all generally well written, and the language is good. I feel that he's at his personal best doing the thoughtful conversation stuff (even though one of those stories goes off rails in the worst way possible). It's a quick read and if a story doesn't hit you in a page or two you miss nothing by hopping to the next one.

And the more I thought about it the more I changed my mind. The story Rachmaninov is so bad and so disgusting that it invalidates everything else this book tries to do. It's the story about how a dude rapes a woman to save her from dying from a bad high. Yup.

[Carla (literary.infatuation) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the excuses for works of fiction failing to represent women accurately or portray strong female characters is that either in that period of history women were sidelined or that in such culture women have traditional gender roles which keep them backstage. I am never really convinced by those are arguments. A story is all about how you tell it, how you spin it; and there has always been powerful, encouraging women around shaping their communities. This is something that really surprised me from “The Prophet of Zongo Street” by Mohammed Naseehu Ali. It’s a collection of short stories centering around a fictitious street in a city in Ghana, where most inhabitants are Hausa, Muslim, struggling to get by and with minimal education. Syncretism between Islam and traditional beliefs is common. Women bear the burden of the household and raising numerous children. And yet, every story defies stereotypes in its depiction of women. Every story has a strong women at the front. And they are quite diverse, from stories about the creation of the world, a Ghanaian painter trying to make it in NYC, a nightmare-like depiction of the Day of Judgement, a man who has to prove to court he is not impotent, and a man who was the joke of town until his wife changed his life around. It is probably the best collection of short stories I’ve read in a really long time and I can’t recommended it enough.

[Fadillah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seldom read short stories collection because it is usually left me dissatisfied with open ending or mediocre level writing stories in it. However, seeing this book in a shelves of a book store intrigued me to pick and bought it. I know nothing about Ghana and reading this may not illustrate 100% the people, culture or their country, but at least, I know a little bit about them. There are some of the stories that I can't shake them off right after finishing it, there are some I forgot about it after turning the next pages. 'The True Aryan' and 'The manhood test' , 'Mallam Sole' and 'faith' definitely made me urges myself to read faster because I wanted to know how the tales are going to end. Overall, this is an interesting read where the place setting in a book interchange frequently from Ghana to New York. The characters that featured in a book though majority is a Ghanaian, there are some new Yorkers and Armenian in it. I gave it 4 stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author certainly did a fine job of capturing the spirit of the various characters in this collection of short stories- both those situated on Zongo Street as well as those set abroad. The story of the man who couldn't satisfy his wife was particularly relevant to my work in terms of helping people to feel satisfied with their primary partner as a way of avoiding the transmission of HIV through concurrent partnerships. The story in NYC, with the drugs and the rape scene was particularly troubling, especially in that the author did not seem troubled by it, but rather wrote it from the male perspective and as a very normal thing.

[Tinea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story kinda stories, like moral-free wrap-you-up-in-em yarns, gather round let me spin something to keep you listening. Ghana and New York City, the ones in Ghana taking a much more lilting, magical realist quality than the hard and sad New York stuff: immigration, racism, navigating conflicting worlds. One story with an unfortunate portrayal of non-consensual sex: sorry Ali, but sex with someone who's passed out is not the cat's meow, it's assault, and it was kinda fucked up of you to portray it as awesome.

[Read for the Great African Reads book club.]

[Roma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ali is a master storyteller, and that's the beauty of this book. The stories set in Africa are especial poetic, but he does a good job of contrasting the warm, full world of Zongo Street with the cold and lonely reality of immigrant New York. He also does a good job raising questions about religion and what it means to be an outsider. However, there's something slightly amiss in his stories set in America -- they don't hold the reader as well as his stories set in Zongo Street do.

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of these stories are very good--the prophet is interesting, as are the robber and the struggling tea-shop owner. The stories are generally well told although it does seem as though some of them drag on too long. Overall, I think this collection will provide some good reading and some insight into storytelling from a region we often do not have represented in modern literature.

[Jen Yttri (Lynch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories. I picked this up as it was the basis for a movie (I can't remember which one though! I only remember I loved it). While some of the author's insight into life in America and Ghana can be fascinating, this isn't one of the best memoir/short story collections I've read. Worth skipping through.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. This is a book of short stories by a Ghanaian writer alternately set in Ghana and Brooklyn, where the writer now lives. The voice and characters are better in the stories set in Ghana. The ones in Brooklyn are disturbing yet funny.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's about half and half for me, but there are some real gems scattered in this collection of stories. In particular, the final two stories are wonderful. (Fair warning, there's an instance of date rape in one story about halfway through.)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice buffet of stories that stretch from Zongo Street in Ghana to immigrant's America. I was so reminded of Adiche's collection The Thing Around Your Neck, which follows the same pattern. Stories are well-told and precise. This Mohammed Naseehu Ali....I'm waiting for more!

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful collection of short stories that take place either in Ghana or Brooklyn. There are some heartwarming stories and others that deal with life/death and the afterlife. It's a quick read and some of the stories will stay with you forever.

[char · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag of short stories. Some of them, like the titular one, were fantastic reads, but others, such as "Rachmaninov," really made me struggle to keep interested. I agree with previous reviews that, overall, the Ghanian stories were a lot stronger than the New York stories.

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside from the anti-Sarah Lawrence sentiment, this book was ok. The stories set in Ghana ring more true than those set in New York.

[Masked Editor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary short stories that straddle the comic and the dark, New York City and Ghana.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Available MCPL

[Jeff Gerwing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the stories were interwoven a bit.

[Ugochi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for this young author to write another book! This was a joy to read.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://maryokekereviews.blogspot.com....

[Karen Carlson]

i've read some of his later stories - Ravalushun from BASS 2016, and Allah Have Mercy from TNY 3/24/24, set on Zongo street - curious to read these earlier works.

[Elmhogar · Rating 2 out of 5]

He lost me with his NYC stories. The Zongo Street stories of the bunch were beautiful and funny.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

By Ghanian author who lives in NYC. Stories of Ghana and immigrants in NYC --