People of the City

The novel follows Amusa Sango, a journalist and musician who navigates the social fabric and challenges of a rapidly growing West African city. Through Sango, the narrative explores themes of ambition and nationalism, illustrating a transition where accomplishments for one's country take precedence over personal pleasure. The work originated as a series of radio stories for West Africans living in Britain after World War II, with influences drawn from detective thrillers, Westerns, and Arabian Nights (Source: People of the City - Wikipedia).

Chief Cyprian Odiatu Duaka Ekwensi (1921-2007) was a prolific Nigerian author of novels, short stories, and children's books. He composed this work while en route to the University of London to study pharmacy. As one of the earliest English-language novels produced by a Nigerian writer, it is considered a literary precursor to the West African city novel genre (Source: People of the City Summary - eNotes.com). Ekwensi was also a pioneer in the Heinemann African Writers Series, having been selected by Chinua Achebe.