The History of Nigeria

by Toyin Falola

This succinct, authoritative, and engagingly written history of Nigeria from its earliest beginnings through 1998 provides an excellent introduction to the country's history. Constructed around the two interrelated themes of politics and the economy, it relates the development of the Nigerian people from antiquity through the end of 1998. Following a timeline of events in the history of Nigeria, Professor Falola, a leading historian on Nigeria and a distinguished Africanist, provides a readable, coherent narrative that carefully integrates the past into the present to help the student and general reader understand the forces at play in the development of the country throughout its long history. Biographical sketches of notable Nigerians, maps, and a bibliographical essay will aid the beginning researcher. Falola examines the development of civilization among different Nigerian communities from antiquity, the consequences of the introduction of Islam and Christianity, the decimation of the population from the slave trade, the imposition of colonial rule and its effects, the transfer of power to the Nigerians in 1960, and the subsequent turmoil in the government and economy. The work analyzes the complicated journey of Nigeria to the present day, which is marked by political instability and economic underdevelopment. It is a story of Nigeria's failure to fulfill the expectations of its people while using its oil resources to become a giant.

Genres: History, Africa, Nonfiction, Nigeria, Western Africa, African Literature, World History

296 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 1999

About the author

Toyin Omoyeni Falola is a Nigerian historian and professor of African Studies. He is currently the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin. Falola earned his B.A. and Ph.D. (1981) in History at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), in Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria and of the Nigerian Academy of Letters. Falola is author and editor of more than one hundred books, and he is the general editor of the Cambria African Studies Series (Cambria Press), Falola served as the president of the African Studies Association in 2014 and 2015.

Reviews

[Samir Rawas Sarayji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite Falola’s stiff writing style here, the book is much welcome as there are few histories available about Nigeria.

It covers the history spanning from the ancient till the 1999 transition of power from a military regime to a civilian administration, yet it is no where near comprehensive (there are no comprehensive history books about Nigeria that I know of). In fact, most of the pre-independence history is briefly covered with an occasional mention of a prominent figure or key event. Likewise, the post-independence is not exhaustive or all-encompassing, but is certainly slowed down and delved further into with more detailed analysis of the political and economic factors.

Nigeria boasts some ancient tribal kingdoms each with a rich history of their own. Everything changed, however, with the arrival of the European powers that setup colonies in Africa. Nigeria was one of the prime locations for the slave trade spanning a few hundred years, after which it became a British protectorate, on January 1, 1901. Ruled as part of the British Empire until it gained independence in October 1, 1960, its raw natural resources were exported to England and then imported back as manufactured goods.

While Nigeria’s three main ethnic factions are the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani, there are many more minor ethnic tribes overshadowed by these three major factions. Its borders drawn by the British in 1914 forced all of these tribes to be under one banner. Perhaps the single most prominent event is the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta area, in 1956, since this would later become the greatest blessing and the greatest curse of the country.

These are the main themes explored in the first one-third of the book. Reading the remaining two-thirds of the book helps shed light on Nigeria's chaotic state of affairs. Nigeria is infamous for its corruption and coups d’états. After gaining independence, Nigeria proclaimed itself a republic in 1963 with a Nigerian representing the country rather than the Queen of England. In 1966, a military coup ended the first republic and the first military regime began. This was to become the fate of Nigeria, continuous coups and a couple of failed civilian administrations in between them, until 1999.

The main factor triggering instability was the continuous presence of ethnic tribal rivalry. If one faction ruled, other factions grumbled. The greatest division, though, was between the north and south, where the north is mainly Islamic (Hausa-Fulani) with pockets of Christianity and the south is mainly Christian with pockets of Muslims. The Islamic north has Shari’a law in many states and has always wanted to enforce this in the south while the south has a secular judiciary. And in the south, there is an east and west division demarcated by the river Niger, where the east is the Igbo and the west is the Yoruba. Spread throughout the country are many minor factions, some with states of their own. Such clear lines of division are a legacy of the divide-and-rule principle of the British Empire, which has plagued Nigeria for far too long.

With the establishment of an oil industry and an ever increasing shift from an agricultural economy to an oil-based one, oil revenues filled the government coffers and became a source of greed by those longing for quick money. Once in power, the privileges and wealth only made the ruling party more power hungry. Every general that instigated a coup or every civilian leader that took over power, claimed to do so for the benefit of the country, to help the poor and improve the economy. The ruling leader would blame the previous one for ignoring the plight, misery and poverty of the masses and would even blame him of squandering the wealth of the nation. Sweeping reforms, economic development and improved living standards were promised. They were empty promises. Most fell into the same trap: money, power and corruption. Those that did not were either assassinated or they grossly mismanaged the economy to the point that they were forced out of power.

As for the style of the book, there are recurring subheadings in each chapter (for example, Economics and Politics) which do make it easy to identify the key themes of each time period and give the book a consistent structure. The problem with this format, however, resulted in the facts being presented stiffly and inorganically. The dry tone due to an objective standpoint did not help make the reading process any smoother. Had it not been for my deep interest in the content and the lack of availability of alternative titles (or access to them), I might have abandoned the book or skimmed through just for the key facts.

Interestingly, there were a few minor occasions towards the last chapters where Falola’s voice shone through. With the undertone of anger running in some passages about Abacha with his tyrannical regime and about the unjust execution of nine activists (which included Ken Saro-Wiwa) and about the misery and abjection of the masses, those were the moments when I connected to the narrative and emotionally resonated to the history of this nation.

I think to make an impact with a non-fiction narrative of history, it is best to have both objectivity and subjectivity. Ultimately, we all form our own opinions, which are shaped by a myriad of factors. To have a book about history that is not a textbook, it is certainly plausible from my perspective for the author’s view to be shared with the readers and his emotions expressed appropriately, provided that the emotions alone are not the sole driving force of the narrative. In this day where creative non-fiction blends the border even further between fiction and non-fiction, a little excitement in a history book would go a long way to engage a reader more fully.

I would conclude that this is a proficient book of history about Nigeria and, until a more comprehensive one is written, it is a good source for understanding the general trend of economics and politics that brought about many different coups and a couple of failed republics. Further useful references include a chronology of key events, a list of notable people with short descriptions (including persons not referred to in the narrative), and a selected bibliography from each chapter. Do not expect an engaging read in terms of style or structure, but do expect an informative one.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The geographical area that is now known as Nigeria piqued my interest from the moment I got to know about the Ogoni movement of the late 1900s. I wondered - and I wonder even now, although now I know about the blindfolded cartographical sport of 1914 - how a land of more than three hundred different ethnic and cultural groups can be amalgamated together. This stemmed my interest in the postcolonial world of affairs in Nigeria and hence, I stumbled upon this Nigerian book of history by Toyin Falola and Matthew Heaton.

A History of Nigeria begins with the early days of what wasn't Nigeria and talks very briefly about social, political, economic and various other aspects of the 'country'. My desire to know more about pre-colonial era wasn't satiated because of the terse description of the book; it moved on to the next major event while talking very briefly about the first. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, I feel, taught me more about the pre-colonial period of 'Nigerian' history than this book of history. It does sound like an exaggeration (although I don't feel it is the case) since while reading pre-colonial chronological history, I could draw a lot of parallels with the colonial and post-colonial periods. However, maybe because fiction speaks more to me than works of non-fiction, the little knowledge I have retained of 'Nigerian' past is due to Things Fall Apart.

As this book of history progresses towards the colonial rule, it started catching my attention. I had done copious amount of research to find the perfect book of history which deals with the chronology of events of the entire country but I found only this and colonial and post-colonial era didn't disappoint me at all. Nigerian history, I feel, is very important to know and learn from because of (primarily) the series of military coups that followed after its independence. The play of power in Nigeria is the reason why one shouldn't blame the British administration for everything wrong that we find in the post-colonial discourses. They were wrong, I accept, but so is the power structure of every single society. Their wrong can't prove us right, you see.

[Simonbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a very broad and detailed history of Nigeria from antiquity to the modern age. The chronological chapters allow a good understanding of the main themes of Nigerian history and politics. It is a bit sad that the book ends with the election in 2007. I would have been happy to read more about the politics of the Fourth Republic. Overall, it is a very good book in Nigerian history. I enjoyed reading it.

[Tunde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earlier this year, I was at a get together, and an acquaintance mentioned something about the Biafra war and how it was so devastating for the older people in his family. It was a subject that I also wanted to dig into but hadn’t ever gotten around to. So naturally, I did what one does when you don’t want to admit ignorance, I just nodded in agreement. Later that week, I looked up books on Nigeria’s history and ordered this one right away. Took me quite a while to get through but its been a very enriching experience taking my time through this book. Through reading it I was able to get enough background info on the Biafra war to not have to feign awareness in future conversations. But beyond that, I received a thorough education that put context behind many of the things I’ve witnessed and heard from family members. Why are those colorful checkered plastic bags referred to as “Ghana must go” bags? Why are there so many Yoruba people spread in the western world but much less of other Nigerian ethnic groups? How did Christianity and Islam come to dominate the area with a roughly 50/50 split? Faloloa and Heaton answer these questions plus so much more. I think this should be essential reading for anyone that’s part of the Nigerian diaspora who’s historical education has been found wanting.

As is detailed in this book, Nigeria is not a perfect country. However, it does contain many of the raw ingredients for the making of a powerful nation. A large young population filled with industrious people that have a hustler mindset, strong ties with world leaders in the west, as well as abundant reserves of precious oil. But despite these advantages, Nigeria is mired in a bundle of different struggles that has hampered its development and has since prevented it from reaching its full potential. In reading this book, I’ve found there have been a few critical themes throughout its whole history that have shaped Nigeria into what it is now, both good and bad.

*Western Relations aka How Europe Underdeveloped Nigeria*

Since the beginning, Nigeria and the United Kingdom have been inextricably linked. I’ve heard that before telling the harsh truth, it can be sometimes useful to start off with a compliment. There have been some positives in the relationship between the two nations. The UKs involvement helped establish roads throughout the country to stimulate trade. Changes such as this were beneficial and used as justification for Britain’s fulfilment of the Dual Mandate (the supposed symbiotic relationship between Nigeria and UK). However, there were policies that had a far more nefarious and significant role in the underdevelopment of Nigeria. One of the most damning was the emphasis on focusing economic activity towards production of raw materials and agricultural goods and importing finished goods and products from external agents. Money that was invested into Nigeria did not go towards developing capabilities to manufacture finished goods. This is an economic policy that was pervasive throughout the entire continent during the peak of colonialism. Walter Rodneys *How Europe Underdeveloped Africa* is a great reference on this. Reliance on importing finished goods leads to an over-reliance on outside entities and handicaps the growth potential of an economy.

When oil was discovered in Nigeria, a new type of economic relationship formed with European powers: the Rentier State. This system relied on extracting and renting out Nigeria’s oil resources to foreign entities, creating further dependencies. Though the development of oil fields seemed like a promising venture, it exacerbated the country’s previous reliance on foreign powers, neglecting the growth of other vital sectors like manufacturing.

Fast forward to the present day and Nigeria faces another form of resource extraction to Europe and Western World: The Brain Drain. While this is largely due to Nigeria’s inability to provide opportunities for its talented population, the result is still the same as the colonial and oil boom times. Valuable resources are leaving Nigeria and landing elsewhere. Engineers, doctors, lawyers are finding employment abroad more rewarding and desirable than working at home. As a produce of the diaspora working for a living wage in a different country, this a dilemma I’ve personally struggled with. As an individual, I believe your responsibility is to yourself and your family first, it follows that pursuing employment in western countries would help individuals achieve this goal. However, when evaluated on a macro scale, this mindset leads to the continuous depletion of talent, perhaps Nigeria’s most valuable asset.

*Absolute power corrupts absolutely*

The most frustrating part of Nigeria’s history and the part that left me deeply agitates=d was reading about the perpetual cycle of corruption, coup, corruption, coup. From direct embezzlement from leaders like Babagnida and Ababacha, to the the countless elections that were altered through intimidation and manipulation, corruption seems to always rear its ugly head. I truly believe in the phrase absolute power, corrupts absolutely, and I think if you give any human enough time and power, they will leverage their position to make decisions that are directly benefitting them and at the expense of others. I think we all already do this on a smaller scale. That is to say, I do not believe that Nigerian leaders have any more of a proclivity to corrupt acts than other world leaders. (In fact, i believe every politician is somewhat psychopathic self-interested), but rather the system that exists does not do an adequate job of suppressing bad actors.

Oil, as both a blessing and a curse, has played a significant role in this cycle. While it has brought immense wealth, it has also deepened Nigeria’s dependence on global markets. Nigeria’s handling of its vast oil resources has been underwhelming at best. Several modern oil-rich states have managed their resources better, with Norway being a prime example. Norway set up a wealth fund, invested in other sectors, and planned to transfer full ownership of its natural gas fields to the government after an agreed-upon period. I believe Nigeria could benefit from a similar model, reducing its dependence on foreign powers and oil price fluctuations while providing a mechanism to prevent the exploitation of resources by corrupt officials.

*Ethnic strifes*

Imagine getting puzzle pieces from 200 different sets then trying to piece it together into one cohesive image. That was essentially the process of creating Nigeria. Many different ethnic groups were smushed together in an attempt to create a nation. Naturally, this is going to result in clashing tensions. The three major groups Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa have all had their conflicts. Government policies such as ethnic quotas and botched census counts added fuel to the fire between these groups. Another layer of strife exists between the major ethnic and minor ethnic groups. Smaller factions often find that there interests are lost in favor of the larger groups. The country’s diverse and heterogeneous makeup continues to challenge the goal of national unity.

*When government fails, God doesn’t*

As far as I could remember, I’ve always known most Nigerians to come from deeply religious backgrounds. Surprisingly, I found that wasn’t always the case. While Islam was first introduced to Nigeria between the 11-14th centuries and Christianity became popularized in Nigeria in the 19th century, it wasn’t until the 1970s that religion really grew in the country to the state it is now. The intial spread of religion had non-religious circumstances that helped promote growth. The intial intro of Islam was helped along with the economic advantage that participating in Islam presented. The trade networks to the arab world opened up to the Fulani and Hausa Islamic groups in Northern Nigeria area. Christianity spread through the Missionaries who also focused on abolishing slavery in the area. The economic turmoil of the 70’s again helped deepen many’s relationships with religion. The economic climate made everyday life challenging for most citizens and heightened distrust of the government. Many found solace and refuge in the redemptive power of fundamental islam and charismatic christianity. This led to explosion of religious organizations. These organizations fulfilled a gap for many by providing community and focusing on prosperity in the life after.

*What now?*

I can’t say with certainty what the future holds for Nigeria, but I appreciated the book’s optimistic conclusion, highlighting the positive contributions Nigerians and their diaspora have made to the world. The lessons from Nigeria’s history, as well as the resilience of its people, provide a foundation for a brighter future. I’m hopeful that Nigeria can build on its strengths and, in time, achieve the potential it has long held.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here are my thoughts:

• Who is Nigeria and how did she come to be? That is what I wanted to know as I prepared for a year-long read of Nigerian authors both past and present. The authors provide a comprehensive look at the past and present and does a very good job of showing how the past influences the present and how the area that was to become known as Nigeria was affected by the cultural and mores before the colonizers came, how and why the colonizers did what they did when they did it and what also was going on in the world that influences these actions.
• I found the history of the early states and societies before the British the most fascinating. I enjoyed how the authors informed of how the threads of independence are embedded deeply into the fabric of all in this area and the road to independence started when the “foreigners” came to the area.
• My attention often waned when I thought the minutiae of the political parties went on too long for my interests.
• This book is written as it could be a “textbook” so that also slowed my reading.
• But overall I appreciated the authors research to put this vast amount of information into an easy to follow format in under 300 pages especially for an area as complex as Nigeria.
• While I was not totally unaware of Nigerian history before reading this book it did fill in some blank spots in my knowledge.
• I recommend this book to anyone interested in global history and trade especially as Nigeria is becoming a more influencing factor not only in Africa but in world politics.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have 1% Nigerian ancestral DNA. “The region that now makes up the state of Nigeria has been home to hundreds of ethnicities, languages and cultures over the last thousand years. Regardless of these differences, British colonialism led to the creation of Nigeria in the twentieth century. After achieving independence in 1959, Nigeria’s tapestry of rival ethnicities became the source of much political strife. Corruption, military coups and poverty have sadly characterized much of the nation’s recent history. But after a successful transition to democracy in the 1990s, progress has been made in a number of areas, and the future of the nation looks bright.”

[AskHistorians]

A very accessible introduction to Nigerian history, from the early neolithic to 2007. The book is particularly strong covering the early historical era from circa the 11th century until the 19th century, and also very strong covering the era of British colonial control. An area of weakness is the book's coverage of the politics of the First and Second Republics, where frequent use of initials for the myriad parties bogs down the narrative in an "alphabet soup" of feuding letters.

[Marieke]

I am very disappointed in myself for not having managed to read this in 2015. It was selected as the starting point for our year of featuring Nigeria in Great African Reads...but it coincided with my year of featuring a new baby in my life, so....that's my excuse. Very sorry, fellow GARers.

[Sakib Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that after the United States and India, Nigeria is the largest producer of films in the world? And that Nigeria is home to over 500 different languages spoken by 200 million people, or that it's the seventh most populous country?

Sadly, these phenomenal facts aren’t household knowledge in the Western world. For many in Europe or North America, an often Eurocentric view of history focuses on things closer to home. But the region that would become Nigeria has a long, shared history with Europe and the United States. However, this relationship hasn’t always been equal – during the late seventeenth century, 42 percent of the total number of slaves shipped out of Africa came from Nigeria, with many of them destined for European colonies such as British America. Later in the nineteenth century and through to the present day, British colonialism in the region would go on to be the source of much sorrow and violence.

But Nigerian history is defined by much more than its slave-trading and colonial past. The incredibly diverse nation is an important center of two of the world’s major religions: Christianity and Islam can number their adherents at about 100 million each. So let’s dive in, and learn all about Nigeria’s rich history.

The region that now makes up the state of Nigeria has been home to hundreds of ethnicities, languages and cultures over the last thousand years. Regardless of these differences, British colonialism led to the creation of Nigeria in the twentieth century. After achieving independence in 1959, Nigeria’s tapestry of rival ethnicities became the source of much political strife. Corruption, military coups and poverty have sadly characterized much of the nation’s recent history. But after a successful transition to democracy in the 1990s, progress has been made in a number of areas, and the future of the nation looks bright.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Nigeria was not a country in much of its history, and it was formed when colonials drew up the border

- Nigeria was decentralized, then became centralized with different kingdoms

- Slave trade was at one point the most important economic activity in the Nigeria region, and it happened long before 15th century

- Islam united much of the land through a common culture

- While the colonization began in 1850, it didn't finish till half a century later

- A lot of initial colonization was locals accomplish their own goals by seeking help from the British, from things like wanting British military to hurt their opponent or want British missionary to subdue the population with Christianity as a social control

- Nigeria developed rapidly during the colonial rule, with more people moving into cities from rural areas. In addition, an educated, English speaking middle class rose

- Nigerian independence movement began in 1929 and became widespread in the 50s and granted in 1960.

- Post independence, Nigeria experienced several failures in its corruption, civil wars and ethnics clash

- One trick pony: Nigeria's overly reliance on oil means the country fails miserable during times when oil price is low

- Every time there was change in Nigeria, it was greeted with widespread optimism but later such change often fall apart easily

- Corruption campaign in 2007 was a purge of opposition party in disguise

- Despite the country's vast oil wealth, the country to this day remains poor

[Shixiao Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're going to read this book have persistence and also a long attention span. An invested interest in Nigeria also helps.

The history is far-reaching and comprehensive. I liked how it went all the way back to the early BCE era. The details of culture and lifestyle at the time was minimal, which is unfortunate but understandable, and the book in general tends to focus on macro-events like interstate politics and economic conditions. It can get pretty dizzying at times, especially when governments or revolutions are being introduced and ten names and five acronyms are being thrown at you at once, but overall it provided a good understanding of the leadup and formation of Nigeria's republic. Definitely a worthy read for Nigerian history, although it should be noted that the latest edition was published in 2008 so it doesn't mention current or recent events.

[John Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having studied and taught History my entire life, I retired with the time and intention to address a significant lack in my knowledge: the Southern Hemisphere! What I have discovered as I search for informative texts is that there are a lot of African, South American, and Southeast Asian "histories" written by and/or from the point of view of former European and American colonizers.So it was with pleasure that I discovered Toyin Faola's "A History of Nigeria," written from, and in the voice of, a Nigerian who is quite possibly the most esteemed of Nigerian historians. This is a text, not a novel, but I think it reads quite nicely while still providing plenty of detail; indeed this proved to be a very good place for me to start my serious attempt to understand Nigeria. I would recommend it as yours also.

[Samson AD · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the increase in European presence in Nigeria to the influx of missionaries and the Yoruba wars, from the British conquest and the local resistance, and the independence of Nigeria, Prof. Falola takes you through the read through the "invasion" and freedom of a people that couldn't have happened without the internal conflicts, disagreements, and ambitions of the different parties and individuals in that region.

I believe the book, "A History of Nigeria" provides the reader with adequate insight into Nigeria during the time aforementioned. It also provides an easy read with facts in a few pages of the book. I believe it was an insightful read and I would like to recommend to anyone interested in learning about the history of Nigeria from different resources.

[Akin]

Useful introduction to Nigeria – actually, given how badly history is taught in Nigeria, more foundation than introductory text. Spans the Iron Age to the Fourth Republic, and gives a good contextual background to the social, religious, colonial, economic and ethnic issues that define Nigeria today.

A number of small errors creep in across the text e.g. Col Ahmadu Ali, not Prof. Ambrose Alli was Nigeria's Minister of Education in 1978; rather misleading to described Babangida as a 'participant' in the 1976 Dimka Coup (a principal actor, at least in his telling, but not a participant); Jay Jay Okocha, not Ochoa. One might also quibble about the emphasis (or lack of) placed on certain key events - for example, a closer look at the actions of several key actors in the 1967-1970 Civil War would give allow the reader to consider their later roles in in Nigerian history more fully. Certainly, the book would have benefited from more vigorous editing.

All that said, it is a good read, and highly recommended starting point (in my opinion, obviously) for anyone interesting in exploring Nigeria's complex history.

[Quinns Pheh · Rating 3 out of 5]

African languages and cultures has been home to hundreds of ethnicity in most regions in the states of Africa. British colonialism had created Africa regardless of these differences in the twentieth century. Nigeria has defaced much of its political strife from rival ethnicities after independence in 1959. In the recent history has sadly been shaped by corruption, military coups and poverty. Fortunately, progress has been made in a number of areas after a successful transition to democracy in 1990s, and thus the future of the country is looking bright.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super informative and really puts into context the history of Nigeria. This country has a very complicated history, and this textbook briefly goes over all of it up until the 2000s. I found the section on slavery most informative, as I didn’t know that Nigeria had a slave trade within its country before Britain came. As well, the colonial aspects put things into perspective, as why the British wanted to rule, and also why Nigeria accepted them at that time period (and why not, too!). Overall very informative and a good read for history buffs.

[Jaey Cyril · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have given a 5-star rating simply because Toyin Falola has managed to condense Nigeria’s history from the pre colonial era, which is very complex, into a simple and readable title.
As a Nigerian, i was quite emotionally invested reading this and it was painful how the valiant stories of the earlier periods quickly deteriorated into recurring themes of corruption after independence.
That being said, every Nigerian and anyone with an interest in Nigeria, should read this book.

[Felipe CZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Africa's most populous countries, Nigeria is transitioning towards democracy. British colonialism led to the creation of Nigeria in the 20th century, and after achieving independence in 1959, there was an issue with identity, corruption, military coups and poverty which have darkened the nation, but they are heading towards a brighter future.

[NCHS Library]

From Follett:
An introduction to the history of Nigeria that focuses on the interrelated themes of politics and the economy. Discusses the African country's history of ethnic and religious conflict, political turmoil and corruption, economic troubles, and culture, including art, music, literature, and drama, and examines its colonial past and the resilience of the Nigerian people.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked more detail, but this was a decent primer for a section of history I knew almost nothing about.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very accessible and interesting introduction to Nigerian history (and, might I add, a great place to start if you need to find your footing for an academic research project)

[Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but over encompassing view of what is now known as Nigeria. It's history, it's cultures, its politics and present day and view of golden tomorrow.

[Mark Ferrara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the writing can be ponderous, this book provides a comprehensive overview of Nigeria from pre-history to about 2008.

[Abiodun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well detailed history of Nigeria from the pre-colonial era till 2007. Toyin Falola’s writing style is simple and engaging so anyone can pick it up and not get bored.

[Olayemi Olabisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative

[Will Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful summary of Nigerian history. Useful for someone who needs an understanding of the overall Nigerian development.

[Chris]

Read on Blinkist. Might read the whole thing.

[Francisco Gamboa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hacía falta una reseña. Me pareció un excelente libro y decidí ponerle cinco estrellas porque a diferencia de la mayor parte de los libros de historia, contiene múltiples referencias a la cultura nigeriana y no solamente de basa en la historia política y económica.

Un libro altamente recomendable para cualquiera que quiera iniciarse en la historia de Nigeria.

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine, fine history of an endlessly fascinating place. Unlike many contemporary histories that give short thrift to the not-so-distant past, a good half of this book focuses on the different pre-state kingdoms and empires, their formation, and their relevance to the emergent colonial entity known as Nigeria. Plenty of modern stuff, too, but it's these early bits that one can hang onto since it offers a nice window into what are now bitter religious divisions and competition for resources and whatnot.

[David Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read an an excellent companion to Elizabeth Isichei's A History of Nigeria - together they provide good cultural and political background. Haven't managed to find either book in shops in nigeria however had the pleasure of reading borrowed copies thanks to the friend of a friend. My usual outlet for Nigeria books - Zamani Books in Kano, is not stocking anything new until after the elections - quite understandably.