P'bitek, Okot

1931–82, Ugandan writer and anthropologist. Educated at the Univ. of Bristol, University College of Wales, and Oxford, p'Bitek is best known for three verse novels, Song of Lawino (1966), Song of Ocol (1970), and Two Songs (1971). In these works, he told poignant contemporary stories, using Acholi literary devices. In addition to his poetry, he also published works on Acholi culture. He was director of the National Theatre before teaching at University College, Nairobi (1971–78) and the Univ. of Ife in Nigeria (1978–82).