Cyprian Ekwensi
Encyclopedia
Cyprian Ekwensi, MFR
(September 26, 1921–November 4, 2007) was a Nigerian
short story
writer and author of children's books.
, was born in Minna
, Niger State
. His father was David Anadumaka, a story-teller and elephant hunter.
Ekwensi attended Government College
in Ibadan
, Oyo State
, Achimota College in Ghana
, and the School of Forestry, Ibadan, after which he worked for two years as a forestry officer. He also studied pharmacy
at Yaba Technical Institute, Lagos School of Pharmacy, and the Chelsea School of Pharmacy of the University of London
. He taught at Igbobi College.
Ekwensi married Eunice Anyiwo, and they had five children.
He has many grandchildren, including his son Cyprian Ikechi Ekwensi, who is named after his grandfather, and his oldest grandchild Adrianne Tobechi Ekwensi.
; he eventually became Director of the latter. He resigned his position in 1966, before the Civil War
, and moved to Enugu with his family. He later served as chair of the Bureau for External Publicity of Biafra
, prior to its reabsorption by Nigeria.
and television
scripts
, and several dozen novels, including children's books. His 1954 People of the City was the first book by a Nigerian to garner international attention.
His novel Drummer Boy (1960), based on the life of Benjamin 'Kokoro' Aderounmu
was a perceptive and powerful description of the wandering, homeless and poverty-stricken life of a street artist.
His most successful novel was Jagua Nana (1961), about a Pidgin-speaking Nigerian woman who leaves her husband to work as a prostitute in a city and falls in love with a teacher. He also wrote a sequel to this, Jagua Nana's Daughter.
In 1968, he received the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature. In 2006, he became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters.
(ANA), having intended to present him with an award on November 16, 2007, converted the honor to a posthumous award.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Nigeria
Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honors Act No...
(September 26, 1921–November 4, 2007) was a Nigerian
Nigerian literature
Nigeria has produced many prolific writers. Many have won accolades for their writing abilities, including Daniel O. Fagunwa, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Femi Osofisan, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Cyprian Ekwensi, Buchi Emecheta, Elechi Amadi Ben Okri...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer and author of children's books.
Early life, education and family
Ekwensi, an IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
, was born in Minna
Minna
Minna is a city in west central Nigeria. It's the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states, and is the headquarters of Chanchaga Local Government Area.- Geography :...
, Niger State
Niger State
Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.The state is named...
. His father was David Anadumaka, a story-teller and elephant hunter.
Ekwensi attended Government College
Government College, Ibadan
Government College Ibadan, , is a "boys only" secondary school located on the hills of Apata Ganga in Ibadan, Nigeria.-History:...
in Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
, Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
, Achimota College in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and the School of Forestry, Ibadan, after which he worked for two years as a forestry officer. He also studied pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
at Yaba Technical Institute, Lagos School of Pharmacy, and the Chelsea School of Pharmacy of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. He taught at Igbobi College.
Ekwensi married Eunice Anyiwo, and they had five children.
He has many grandchildren, including his son Cyprian Ikechi Ekwensi, who is named after his grandfather, and his oldest grandchild Adrianne Tobechi Ekwensi.
Governmental career
Ekwensi was employed as Head of Features at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and by the Ministry of Information during the First RepublicNigerian First Republic
The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
; he eventually became Director of the latter. He resigned his position in 1966, before the Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
, and moved to Enugu with his family. He later served as chair of the Bureau for External Publicity of Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
, prior to its reabsorption by Nigeria.
Literary career
Ekwensi wrote hundreds of short stories, radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
scripts
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
, and several dozen novels, including children's books. His 1954 People of the City was the first book by a Nigerian to garner international attention.
His novel Drummer Boy (1960), based on the life of Benjamin 'Kokoro' Aderounmu
Kokoro (musician)
Benjamin ‘Kokoro’ Aderounmu was a widely-know blind minstrel from Lagos, Nigeria. He was born into a royal family in Owo, Ondo State, and became blind when he was aged ten. He developed a unique style of singing accompanied first by a drum, later by a tambourine...
was a perceptive and powerful description of the wandering, homeless and poverty-stricken life of a street artist.
His most successful novel was Jagua Nana (1961), about a Pidgin-speaking Nigerian woman who leaves her husband to work as a prostitute in a city and falls in love with a teacher. He also wrote a sequel to this, Jagua Nana's Daughter.
In 1968, he received the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature. In 2006, he became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters.
Death
Ekwensi died on 4 November 2007 at the Niger Foundation in Enugu, where he underwent an operation for an undisclosed ailment. The Association of Nigerian AuthorsAssociation of Nigerian Authors
The Association of Nigerian Authors represents Nigerian creative writers at home and abroad. It was founded in 1981 with the novelist Chinua Achebe as President. The current President is Hon Wale Okediran...
(ANA), having intended to present him with an award on November 16, 2007, converted the honor to a posthumous award.
Works
External links
- The Guardian: Cyprian Ekwensi obituary
- Ode to a Literary Colossus, column by former student