The Passport of Mallam Ilia

Cyprian Ekwensi was born in Nigeria in 1921, the son of a famed storyteller and elephant hunter. In early life, he worked as a forestry officer in Nigeria and as a pharmacist in Romford, Essex. On returning home, he wrote his first novel, "People of the City" (1954), which was one of the first Nigerian novels to be published internationally. "Jagua Nana", his most famous book, appeared in 1961 and won the Dag Hammarskjöld prize in literature, though it was banned in schools and attacked by the church. Later in life, Ekwensi worked in broadcasting, politics, and as a pharmacist, while writing over forty books and scripts. He died in 2007. His works continue to appeal to readers all over the world.