born 1920, Abeokuta, Nigeria
died June 8, 1997, Ibadan
Nigerian writer.
He had only six years of formal schooling and wrote in English and outside the mainstream of Nigerian literature. His stories incorporated Yoruba myths and legends into loosely constructed prose epics that improvised on traditional themes. His best-known work is The Palm-Wine Drinkard (1952), a classic quest tale that was the first Nigerian book to achieve international fame. His later works include the tale The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town (1981), Yoruba Folktales (1986), and Village Witch Doctor (1990).