Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and the world's eighth largest oil producer, but its success has been undermined in recent decades by ethnic and religious conflict, political instability, rampant official corruption and an ailing economy. Toyin Falola, a leading historian intimately acquainted with the region, and Matthew Heaton, who has worked extensively on African science and culture, combine their expertise to explain the context to Nigeria's recent troubles through an exploration of its pre-colonial and colonial past, and its journey from independence to statehood. By examining key themes such as colonialism, religion, slavery, nationalism and the economy, the authors show how Nigeria's history has been swayed by the vicissitudes of the world around it, and how Nigerians have adapted to meet these challenges. This book offers a unique portrayal of a resilient people living in a country with immense, but unrealized, potential.

These essays attempt to focus the light of history,on Nigeria, Nigerians and their contemporary,condition. The root idea here is that fundamental,to all historical works - that when the mind,interacts with the past, the result is something,like a torchlight whose beam is focused on the,present, thus enabling us to achieve a better,understanding of the problems which face us.,Afigbo has probed deep into Nigeria's pastbringing out all the facets, all the elements and,all the issues that are necessary to improve the,present.

This important work, originally published in 1963, examines the social bases, strategies and structures of Nigerian political parties during the final phase of British colonial rule. As Professor Sklar explains in a new introduction for this edition, the defining characteristics of political parties today have been shaped by the intellectual origins of the independence era parties. This seminal volume is an essential tool for understanding the political and social reality of contemporary Nigeria.

Nigeria seems to be in the news all of the time for something, be it regime changes, co-operation, internal strife or oil policies. The most populous country in Africa and the largest in area in the West African state, Nigeria was an early twentieth century colony that became an independent nation in 1960. A country of great diversity because of the many ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups that live within it borders, Nigeria is also a country with a long past. This book brings together current issues and a detailed historical background.

This book explores the nascent and complex terrain of democratization and peaceful political transitions in Africa. It analyzes major election-related conflicts across the continent, explains their root causes and major consequences, and offers measures that may be undertaken to prevent, manage, and resolve election-induced conflicts. It charts a path for the future political and democratic stability in Africa.

This volume is an authoritative and agenda-setting examination of Nigerian politics.

This third edition of what has been described as "this minor classic" has been extensively revised to take account of advances in Nigerian historiography. The twenty million Yorubas are one of the largest and most important groups of people on the African continent. Historically they were organized in a series of autonomous kingdoms and their past is richly recorded in oral tradition and archaeology. From the fifteenth century onwards there are descriptions by visitors and from the nineteenth century there are abundant official reports from administrators and missionaries. Yoruba sculpture in stone, metal, ivory, and wood is famous. Less well-known are the elaborate and carefully designed constitutional forms which were evolved in the separate kingdoms, the methods of warfare and diplomacy, the oral literature, and the religion based on the worship of a "high god" surrounded by a pantheon of more accessible deities. Many of these aspects are shown in the drawings and photographs which have been used-for the first time-to illustrate this distinguished work.

This history-rich volume details the sociopolitical, economic, and artistic aspects of African kingdoms from the earliest times to the second half of the 19th century. Africa has a long and fascinating history and is a place of growing importance in the world history curriculum. This detailed encyclopedia covers the history of African kingdoms from antiquity through the mid-19th century, tracing the dynasties' ties to modern globalization and influences on world culture before, during, and after the demise of the slave trade. Along with an exploration of African heritage, this reference is rich with firsthand accounts of Africa through the oral traditions of its people and the written journals of European explorers, missionaries, and travelers who visited Africa from the 15th century and onward. Alphabetically arranged entries cover a particular kingdom and feature information on the economic, cultural, religious, political, social, and environmental history of the regime. The content references popular culture, movies, and art that present contemporary reenactments of kingdoms, emphasizing the importance of history in shaping modern ideas. Other features include primary source documents, a selected bibliography of print and electronic resources, and dozens of sidebars containing key facts and interesting trivia.