Rufus a photographer with the Reporter newspaper, jumps at the opportunity of becoming a real journalist and learning from the great Zaq. He sets out with a host of other journalists, to uncover the details in the kidnap of a British woman who had come all the way from Newcastle to save her marriage. It is this quest, his loyalty to Zaq that lands him not just Zaq’s eternal friendship, but a place in the history of accomplished journalists.
While the other journalists scamper away to safety, holding tightly to their sketchy information that would no doubt be doused in a lot of presumptions; Zaq would remain on the Island of Irekefe and he is soon joined by Rufus who learns that the foremost virtue of a good reporter is, patience.
Together they are formidable and as they remain steadfast in their pursuit, Zaq suspects the worshippers on the Island would know about the said British woman. They confront Naman (assistant to the head priest), he takes them to the grave where the British woman was buried, but the great Zaq, instinctively knew there was nobody lying in that grave. They set out at night to unearth what lay beneath that heap of sand and, discovers it was merely a distraction from the truth created by the militants.
Meanwhile, Zaq has been sick since he arrived the Island, a sickness which the doctor they met at the military camp said was similar to dengue fever. Rufus finds himself attracted to Gloria (the nurse that comes in from Port Harcourt to treat the worshippers) and, she in turn finds him attractive. The turn of events in the following weeks, will see Rufus grow more attached to an undefined relationship, Zaq become sicker and yet refuse serious medical attention and Boma (Rufus’ sister) becoming a worshipper overnight, after she came to look for Rufus on the Island.
Rufus is opportune to meet the British woman, who had managed to escape the militants den with the help of her driver. He discovers not only the truth about her kidnap after interviewing her and the driver, he also discovers some background details leading up to her abduction.
It is not the discovery that Mr. Floode, has been sleeping with Koko (the drivers fiancé) that leaves a hard lump in the throat, nor Koko’s flagrant pronouncement of her pregnancy and love for Mr. Floode; it is Zaq’s death, the cocaine incident at the airport that led to his incarceration and eventual fall from grace, his name that was never cleared of that crime and the death of the woman who meant the world to him. At the end we find ourselves asking; what would become of Michael and Tamuno? Chief Ibiram and his people? The Abandoned villages, their ancestry? Why should a people who should be kings, live as slaves?
Helon Habila writes about this issue, with the clarity of one who had lived through this inhuman conditions. He portrays vividly, the resultant effects of gas flaring and the irresponsible behavior of the government and oil companies. The host communities are forced to live in fear and abject poverty. Their farmlands are unable to grow anything because of the pollution and the population of fish in their waters is dwindling, as fast as the population of the fishing communities, while the world profits from their diseases and blood and eventual annihilation. And the army, in its campaign and outright barbarism is a willing tool in this collusion against humanity.
“Oil on Water,” was shortlisted for the Orion Environmental Book Award (2012), the Pen/Opera Book Award (2012) and the Commonwealth Writers Best Book Prize Africa Region (2011).