Ekwensi was a Nigerian author, studying in Britain at the time he wrote these tales, originally for radio plays for his fellow Nigerians in Britain. Nigeria was still a British colony at the time, 1954, but it was in the process of establishing independence, doing so in 1960. The City referred to is Lagos (although never called that), where Britain had first established itself, in order to stop the slave trade that had been established there. It soon was an important port for all colonial trade from western Africa.
But much like any port city, Lagos had its share of riff-raff and those just trying to get by. There is a definite film noir vibe with these folk. Take Beatrice, who has found her way to the City, to find work and a better life. She happens to meet up with an old friend from the country, who shares quarters with some musicians from a local jazz band.
“You want to hear my bad luck story?” she asks him. “Well, I couldn’t find a place in the city. My work has to go on, so what did I do? I took my things to the railway station and deposited them in the Left Luggage Office, and here I am! . . . Do you sleep at the station too?
Not yet. I am now a hanger-until I can find a place. My First Trumpet has invited me to share his little room with him.”
“Is not easy”, Beatrice said.
There is a man, Lajide, who is wealthy, and wouldn’t mind adding her to his collection of wives (she would get her own house!). But she runs afoul of a couple of gangsters, gets beaten up, and has to leave town. Some people aren’t distressed by this turn of events.
Somewhere in the compound of Twenty Molomo Street, his wives were chanting and wiggling their hips in triumph.