Modern Nigeria

Discover Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, in this thematic encyclopedia that covers everything from geography and economics to etiquette and pop culture. Part of Bloomsbury's Understanding Modern Nations series, this volume takes readers on a tour of contemporary Nigeria, helping them better understand the country and the many cultures, religions, and ethnicities that call it home. Chapters are organized thematically, examining a variety of topics, including geography, history, government, economics, religion, ethnic and social groups, gender, education, language, etiquette, food, literature and the arts, and pop culture. Each chapter begins with an overview essay, followed by a selection of encyclopedic entries that provide a more nuanced look at that facet of modern Nigeria. The main text is supplemented with sidebars that highlight additional high-interest topics. A collection of appendices rounds out the volume, offering short vignettes of daily life in the country, a glossary of key terms, statistical data, and a list of state holidays. Once a pawn of British colonialism, today Nigeria is a sovereign nation and key player on the world stage. Its vast oil resources have made it an international powerhouse and the wealthiest country on the African continent, yet political unrest and corruption, and ethnic and religious violence continue to threaten this prosperity. Nigeria is equally rich culturally, a nation where time-honored traditions mix with contemporary influences. Explore the diversity of modern Nigeria in this concise and accessible volume.

An introduction to the politics and society of post-colonial Nigeria, highlighting the key themes of ethnicity, democracy, and development.

This collection of essays explores the critical and fluid nature of security challenges that have plagued Nigeria since colonial times. Insecurity in diverse forms remains the bane of growth and progressive development in the country, and has the capability to derail a society no matter how sophisticated. What has generated insecurity at the macro- and micro-levels? How has insecurity been tackled? Why have security challenges escalated particularly in the post-independence period? What lessons could be learnt from the way security matters have been (mis)handled in the past? This volume presents chapters on the historical roots and antecedents of security challenges, and considers the nexus between the economy, political leadership and development, and its impacts on security in modern Nigeria. It also explores the effectiveness of the strategies employed to address security challenges, and discusses why some security challenges have lingered.

Nigeria matters. It is Africa’s largest economy, and it is projected to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050, but its democratic aspirations are challenged by rising insecurity. John Campbell traces the fractured colonial history and contemporary ethnic conflicts and political corruption that define Nigeria today. It was not—and never had been—a nation-state like those of Europe. It is still not quite a nation because Nigerians are not yet united by language, religion, culture, or a common national story. It is not quite a state because the government is weak and getting weaker, beset by Islamist terrorism, insurrection, intercommunal violence, and a countrywide crime wave. This deeply knowledgeable book is an antidote to those who would make the mistakes of Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq—mistakes based on misunderstanding—in Nigeria. Up to now, such mistakes have largely been avoided, but Nigeria will soon—and Campbell argues already does—require much greater attention by the West.

International media coverage in the 1960s and early 1970s represented the Biafran War, in which the state of Biafra attempted to secede from the Nigerian Federation, as a grand humanitarian disaster, characterised by sustained conflict, starvation and genocide. Using interviews and newly-released archival material, Michael Gould questions this depiction, examining the role of foreign parties in the conflict and the impact of propaganda upon its international reception both during and after the war. Envisaged initially by both sides as a short conflict, the war confounded all expectations, stretching on for four years. It was a 'brother's war', one which divided families, and was characterised overwhelmingly by both sides' reluctance to enter into hostilities. This book seeks to answer some of the most fundamental questions surrounding the conflict, including how this avoidable conflict came about, why the war became so drawn-out and how the leadership of the opposing Generals Ojukwu, who led the Biafran revolt and Gowon, who was President of the Nigerian Federation, defined the conflict. In the process, Gould offers a radical reappraisal of the many entrenched conceptions which currently surround the conflict. This book will be essential reading for all students of African history and politics, and post-colonial studies.

Study of the economic development of Nigeria - covers demographic aspects and historical aspects, the role of Europe, the government, growth and development of the nationalist movement, social implications of government policies, education, political parties, military government, and political problems, and includes comments on the constitution. Annotated bibliography pp. 167 to 169, and references pp. 170 to 172.