The Famished Road

Azaro begins to visit Madame Koto’s bar every afternoon. He listens to the women talking about politics in the afternoons and watches strange men come and go. Azaro notes that his Dad has “disappeared from my life” (78) because he is always gone looking for work to feed the family. When Dad does reappear, he is weary and tired of politics, which ruins everything, he claims. The family has had to cut back on food, surviving on bread and porridge.

Madame Koto tells Azaro that she will feed him in the afternoons if he brings in patrons: “Attract customers, draw them here, and then you will have food” (85), she says. Still, she relents and brings him soup—though it contains a chicken’s head that he does not want to eat—and gives him palm wine. Through his drunken haze, he observes the demanding customers, striking back at them if they are confrontational and staring at them until they are uncomfortable. He sees that Madame Koto is unperturbed by her customers’ behavior.

When he returns home, he finds Mum surrounded by creditors and the landlord. They are demanding the money they are owed. The Photographer also comes in wanting to be paid for pictures he took at the celebratory feast.