Ekwensi, Cyprian (1921–2007)

Nigerian writer of novels, short stories, children's books, and folktales about the Ibo people (who live in southeastern Nigeria). Much of his writing depicts the problems and pitfalls of urban life in Nigeria. His most successful novel, Jagua Nana (1961), examines the changes in lifestyle of people, including Jagua, a prostitute, who have left their rural origins to live in the city.

His other books include People of the City (1954; revised edition 1969), Lokotown and Other Stories (1966), Burning Grass (1962), Jagua Nana's Daughter (1986, a sequel to Jagua Nana), and For a Roll of Parchment (1987). He also wrote numerous folk tales and stories for children. He was awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld International Prize in Literature in 1968 and became a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters in 2006.