Why We Struck

Why We Struck
Author: Adewale Ademoyega
Publisher:
Total Pages: 224
Release: 1981
Genre: Nigeria
ISBN:

A History of Nigeria

A History of Nigeria
Author: Toyin Falola
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2008-04-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 1139472038

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.

Oil, Politics and Violence

Oil, Politics and Violence
Author: Max Siollun
Publisher: Algora Publishing
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2009
Genre: History
ISBN: 087586709X

"An insider traces the details of hope and ambition gone wrong in the Giant of Africa, Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. When it gained independence from Britain in 1960, hopes were high that, with mineral wealth and over 140 million people, the most educated workforce in Africa, Nigeria would become Africa s first superpower and a stabilizing democratic influence in the region. However, these lofty hopes were soon dashed and the country lumbered from crisis to crisis, with the democratic government eventually being overthrown in a violent military coup in January 1966. From 1966 until 1999, the army held onto power almost uninterrupted under a succession of increasingly authoritarian military governments and army coups. Military coups and military rule (which began as an emergency aberration) became a seemingly permanent feature of Nigerian politics. The author names names, and explores how British influence aggravated indigenous rivalries. He shows how various factions in the military were able to hold onto power and resist civil and international pressure for democratic governance by exploiting the country's oil wealth and ethnic divisions to its advantage."--Publisher's description.

Oil, Politics and Violence

Oil, Politics and Violence
Author: Max Siollun
Publisher: Algora Publishing
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2009
Genre: History
ISBN: 0875867103

An insider traces the details of hope and ambition gone wrong in the ?Giant of Africa, ? Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. When it gained independence from Britain in 1960, hopes were high that, with mineral wealth and over 140 million people, the most educated workforce in Africa, Nigeria would become Africa's first superpower and a stabilizing democratic influence in the region.

The Yoruba from Prehistory to the Present

The Yoruba from Prehistory to the Present
Author: Aribidesi Usman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 519
Release: 2019-07-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107064600

A rich and accessible account of Yoruba history, society and culture from the pre-colonial period to the present.

The Biafra Story

The Biafra Story
Author: Frederick Forsyth
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 219
Release: 2015-03-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 1848846061

A fearless act of journalism in 1960s Nigeria and the true story behind the international bestselling novel The Dogs of War. The Nigerian civil war of the late 1960s was one of the first occasions when Western consciences were awakened and deeply affronted by the level of suffering and the scale of atrocity being played out in the African continent. This was thanks not just to advances in communication technology but to the courage and journalistic skills of foreign correspondents like Frederick Forsyth, who had already earned an enviable reputation for tenacity and accuracy working for Reuters and the BBC. In The Biafra Story, Forsyth reveals the depth of the British Government’s active involvement in the conflict—information which many in power would have preferred to remain secret. General Gowon’s genocide of the Biafran people was facilitated by a ready supply of British arms and advice. Still tragically relevant in its depiction of global affairs, this powerful book also launched Frederick Forsyth to literary stardom by providing him with the background material for The Dogs of War. The dramatic events and shocking political exposures, all delivered with Forsyth’s bold and perceptive style, makes The Biafra Story a compelling lesson in courage.

Nzeogwu

Nzeogwu
Author: Olusegun Obasanjo
Publisher:
Total Pages: 180
Release: 1987
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN:

The President of Nigeria, elected in 1999, gives a detailed account of his friend and colleague Chukwuma Nzeogwu, a young army officer who led the shocking and first military coup d'etat of 1966, which toppled the civilian government and heralded thirteen years of military dictatorship until the elections of 1998. Was he a genuine revolutionary or a reactionary? Was he a hero or villain? The President provides his answers to these questions which have surrounded the enigmatic and controversial Nzeogwu, and supports his views with personal letters and other documents. He describes him as idealistic and patriotic; though exhibiting more enthusiasm and naivety than wisdom or prudence.