Cyprian ekwensi who has died aged 86, was often referred to as the father of the modern west african novel. Cyprian ekwensi wrote hundreds of short stories, radio and television scripts, and several dozen novels, including childrens books. The late cyprian ekwensi is an author whose oeuvre cannot easily be categorised in any single genre. Russian translation, 1965 and jagua nana 1961, ekwensi. Ebook the passport of mallam ilia as pdf download portable. York, nor is it a collection of poets writing about new york we don. Lokotown by cyprian ekwensi so today, i took a dive into one of my antique collections and picked lokotown, a collection of interesting short stories by cyprian ekwensi. The passport of mallam ilia by cyprian ekwensi film adaptation. No matter how uneven the quality of his novels may b yi gebcrar, ekwensi remains one o. Destructive ethnic consciousness and the search for. The writer also seems to advocate for purity,contentment and selfcontrol. Jagua nana by cyprian ekwensi pdf cyprian ekwensis jagua nana is a tale of life in lagos in the early s.
I read this piece by cyprian ekwensi, a great nigeria literally icon who did so much to enlighten the minds of young nigerians of my generation and to excite our appetites for knowledge, long time ago when i was still in secondary school and just wanted to read it again to help me appreciate even more what i had read years back. Because cities are almost always infested by girls and mature women, most of his novels centre around women, urban life, night life and their moral antecedents and implications. Cyprian ekwensi mfr 26 september 1921 4 november 2007 was a nigerian author of novels, short stories, and childrens books. Bold, moving, entertaining and controversial, this is the great novel of 1960s lagos life with one of the most. Ekwensi, cyprian 1921 a nigerianborn ibo novelist, short story writer, and pharmacist, ekwensi is considered a masterful stylist, most skillful in his depiction of rural africans forced into. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Jagua nana is a 1961 novel by nigerian novelist cyprian ekwensi. Magic carpet studios in nigeria is currently handling the film project. His novels are eight in number, namely, people of the city 1954, jagua nana1961, burning grass 1962, beautiful feathers. It is distinguished from the short story and the ficti. Besides these two renowned african writers, the literary works of cyprian ekwensi circulate in africa so much so that his major novels are. His most successful novel was jagua nana 1961, about a pidginspeaking nigerian woman who leaves her husband to work as a prostitute in a city and falls in. Ebook jagua nana as pdf download portable document format.
Cyprian ekwensi books list of books by author cyprian. Chinua achebe, grace ogot, jane austen, abidemi sanusi, stanley gazemba, ayn rand, and cyprian ekwensi. Cyprian ekwensi, pharmacist, writer and cultural activist, had his first short stories broadcast by the british broadcasting corporation during the colonial era. He was one of the first authors to publish a new type of. Destructive ethnic consciousness and the search for national. From its birth to date, nigerian literature witnessed a tremendous growth and development with the early publications of the literary works of chinua achebe and those of wole soyinka respectively. Many would remember the novel as one of the secondary school literature books of the late 90s. It is about a woman caught between true love and the need to fend for herself by.
The novel has been compared to works by charles dickens, in terms of. A story of desire and vengeance, this book starts with the longing of a wealthy man called shehu for a child of his own and continues with the obsessive search by abu bakir for revenge on shehu for luring away the woman he was to marry. With the character of jagua, we find a young woman whose sojourn into the skin trade sprang from her restless spirit and a search for adventure. Cyprian ekwensi, in full cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi, born sept. Chinua achebe, in full albert chinualumogu achebe, born november 16, 1930, ogidi, nigeriadied march 21, 20, boston, massachusetts, u. This paper examines the personification of the city in cyprian ekwensi. More prolific than most of his contemporaries and more versatile than any other writers except wole soyinka. I read this piece by cyprian ekwensi, a great nigeria literally icon who did so much to enlighten the minds of young nigerians of my generation and to excite our appetites for knowledge, long time ago when i was still in secondary school and just. Cyprian ekwensi is, by any standard a major figure in african literature of the midtwentieth century. Cyprian ekwensi article about cyprian ekwensi by the free.
The re putable nigerian writer, chinua ach ebe, and others, sugg est that a differenc e exists between the african short story and the short story as it is defined in the west. Cyprian ekwensi has 33 books on goodreads with 6852 ratings. If youre familiar with literary works of the 60s and 70s, cyprian ekwensi needs no introduction. Cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi was a nigerian author, pharmacist, journalist and broadcaster. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It is one of the books that always deserved a film adaptation. Now he follows his indispensable collections of essays, early achebe and early soyinka, with this new collection on the early writings and publication history of amos tutuola, cyprian ekwensi, and ayi kwei armahwriters, as lindfors says, as different as night, dawn, and day. The film adaptation of the popular classic book by cyprian ekwensi, the passport of mallam ilia, is currently ongoing. Three years ago, penguin hit paydirt with its little black classics range. Although he wrote for both children and adults, he is especially well. The usual letterwriting of the nigerian popular pamphlet plays a central role in. The passport of mallam ilia by cyprian ekwensi film. In ekwensis burning grass, the very opening lines set the atmosphere of aridity characteristic of the northern savannah.
Pdf a negative literary image of the city is prevalent in a variety of texts as a. Because cities are almost always infested by girls and mature women, most of his novels centre around women, urban life, night life and their moral antecedents and. However, despite the publication of about eight major novels by cyprian. He was a writer, known for independent nigeria 1956 and history of the negro people 1965. Situating his works in various regions of nigeria and writing.
Cyprian ekwensi although cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi, born on 26 september 1921 in niger state, has been with his ancestors for over 10 years, he still lives on in the minds of those touched by. Russian translation, 1965 and jagua nana 1961, ekwensi criticizes the morality of nigerias developing bourgeoisie and reveals the psychological problems of urbanization in africa. Situating his works in various regions of nigeria and writing for a readership that transcends age, the most comprehensive way to describe ekwensi is as a nigerian author in both his nationality and the scope of his literature. The emphasis is on anglophone africa, although a number of volumes were translated. His 1954 people of the city was the first book by a nigerian to garner international attention. Cyprian ekwensi, ekwensi, cyprian 1921 author for more than a halfcentury, nigerian author cyprian ekwensi has been known for his prolific output of popular novels novel, novel, in modern literary usage, a sustained work of prose fiction a volume or more in length. Cyprian ekwensis iska revisited michigan state university. Jan 24, 2008 we stated in the article below that cyprian ekwensi s first novel, people of the city, published in 1954, was the first nigerian work to gain international acclaim and the first nigerian novel to. Since 1969, the reputation of cyprian ekwensi as a novelist has been strug. Cyprian ekwensi the guardian nigeria news nigeria and. Cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi, an igbo, was born in minna, niger state.
He is a native of nkwelle ezunaka in oyi local government area, anambra state, nigeria. Cyprian ekwensi article about cyprian ekwensi by the. Cyprian ekwensi is regarded as the father of the modern nigerian novel. We stated in the article below that cyprian ekwensis first novel, people of the city, published in 1954, was the first nigerian work to gain international acclaim and. Sep 04, 2019 jagua nana by cyprian ekwensi pdf cyprian ekwensis jagua nana is a tale of life in lagos in the early s. An african nights entertainment, 1996, cyprian ekwensi. The series has ensured an international voice to major african writersincluding chinua achebe, ngugi wa thiongo, steve biko, ama ata aidoo, nadine gordimer, buchi emecheta, and okot pbitek. Obiechina comments on ekwensis description of the landsape in burning grass as an example of the west african writer s treatment of time and space. Using the novels of cyprian ekwensi, buchi emecheta, and other lesserknown authors, osa discusses young adult love, marriage customs, the restraints placed on women, and the catastrophic effects of polygamy. It is about a woman caught between true love and the need to. Cyprian ekwensi as a national, urban or panafrican writer. According to him, the writer only finds himself, only realises himself, through his. No nigerian writer has occupied himself with issues in the nigerian society more than cyprian.
Cyprian ekwensi, a popular nigerian fictional writer, sets most of his novels in the urban cities. The nollywood animation category is getting a new addition. Cyprian ekwensi burning grass is a story about the life of fulani herdsmen narrated through mai sunsaye. The crowded train moves past a busy train station, the camera pans through the window of the train showing you people dressed in the attire appropriate for northern nigeria in the 1940s, traders with goods on their heads, mothers with babies on their backs, and other. Of all the characters i have written about, i bet id be beryl in say you love me because there are times when i embody such calm in tough times. Cyprian ekwensi mfr 26 september 1921 4 november 2007 was a nigerian author of novels, short stories, and childrens books biography early life, education and family. However, despite the publication of about eight major novels by cyprian ekwensi, some literary. He is considered by many to be the father of modern nigerian literature and was the second nigerian to gain international acclaim for writing with his first novel people of the city 1954. One of a series of readers for african students which aims to help them to develop an awareness and a love of language, and consists of stories from all over africa. The second world war was in its third year, and owning radio sets was more difficult than procuring essential commodities in that unsettled moment of history. Cyprian ekwensis narrative in jagua nana presents us a psychosocial case in point in understanding the drivers of prostitution within the urban african society. Lindfors combines detailed and meticulous scholarship with an.
Cyprian ekwensi mfr 26 september 1921 4 november 2007 was a nigerian author of. Mar 17, 2020 chinua achebe, in full albert chinualumogu achebe, born november 16, 1930, ogidi, nigeriadied march 21, 20, boston, massachusetts, u. People of the city 1954 jagua nana 1961 burning grass 1961 divided we stand 1981. In ekwensis burning grass, the very opening lines set the atmosphere of aridity characteristic of. Cyprian ekwensi is one of the early nigerian creative writers who has been brought to limelight in africa and beyond through his writings. Prolific writer who chronicled modern life in west africa. Also new to penguin is prolific nigerian igbo writer cyprian ekwensi. Although jama is such a lazy coward but rich man known all over,aminas family are blinded by the lumpsome bride price and want to force a marriage between amina and jama,which was void of any traces of true love.
Cyprian ekwensi author visit amazons cyprian ekwensi page. One of a series of readers for african students which aims to help them to develop an awareness and a love of language, and consists of. Cyprian ekwensi born 1921 was a nigerian writer who stressed description of the locale and whose episodic style was particularly well suited to the. The novel was later republished in 1975 as part of the influential heinemann african writers. Cyprian ekwensi who has died aged 86, was often referred to as the father of the modern west african novel more prolific than most of his contemporaries and more versatile than any other writers except wole soyinka. This essay, divided into three parts, examines the third of the issues identified above as it involved the popular writer, cyprian ekwensi. Early lifeekwensi was born in minna in presentday niger state on september 26, 1921. If i were an american living in america or europe, i would be floating in a foam bath in my own private yacht off the coast of florida. We imagine what a contrast the film will be when considering the kinds of contemporary stories made in nollywood today. Even as other nigerian novelists have become famous or experienced a revival, cyprian ekwensi is still lesser known, but he deserves to be more famed for jagua nana.
Restless city and christmas gold, with other stories african writers series, no. Five decades or more of writing have brought me world fame but not fortune, he said in 1999. African writers series aws is a series of books by african writers that has been published by heinemann since 1962. Cyprian ekwensi world literature is a resource for students who seek information beyond the simple biographical details of an authors life or a brief overview of the authors major works. Cyprian ekwensi was born on september 26, 1921 in minna, niger, nigeria as cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi. Cyprian odiatu duaka ekwensi ehkwehnsee has an important but controversial place in contemporary nigerian englishlanguage literature. See all books authored by cyprian ekwensi, including burning grass african writers series, and people of the city african writers series, and more on thriftbooks. In ekwensi s burning grass, the very opening lines set the atmosphere of aridity characteristic of the northern savannah.