Constructing the Destructive City:: Representations of Lagos in Cyprian Ekwensi's

Egbunike, Louisa Uchum

Abstract

The late Cyprian Ekwensi is an author whose oeuvre cannot easily be categorised in any single genre. 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 gamut of his works covers the entire nation, through an assortment of protagonists, settings and cultures. The characters range from Fulani cattlemen to Lagos prostitutes and his literary works traverse the nation, guiding the reader through the vast landscapes of Nigeria. Encountering different cultures, customs and religions, his readers are provided a platform on which to engage in a multiplicity of identities within the nation. Ekwensi's pan-Nigerian literature reflects his life experience. Born in Minna, Northern Nigeria to Igbo parents (from Eastern Nigeria), he later studied at Ibadan and Lagos in Western Nigeria. As a proud Nigerian, Ekwensi had a good knowledge of the geography of the country. ’…Every year I go round Nigeria two or three times by car, by road, so I know my country and I love it’ (Duerden and Pieterse 1972, 83).

Citation

Egbunike, L. U. (2012). Constructing the Destructive City:: Representations of Lagos in Cyprian Ekwensi's. . Boydell & Brewer

• Publication Date: 2012
• Deposit Date: Apr 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9781782040484
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1930111
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/reflections-and-retrospectives-in-african-literature-today/constructing-the-destructive-city/EC4D6D9B809C82BF8ED6AC375645B95D